Stark
by donutkirby
Summary: Before Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang began their journey as Huntresses, before Remnant was threatened by the machinations of Cinder Fall...there was Team STRQ, the shining hope of Beacon Academy. This is the story of four brave youths who fought for what they believed in...and paid the price.
1. V1 Prologue

**Prologue**

The ancient gears stirred, grinding against each other in a slow, methodical rhythm that had persisted for countless years. In the office of Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, it was business as usual. Specifically, it was the time of year when all the aspiring young men and women of Remnant placed their hopes and ambitions on his school. With all the training they'd done under their belt, they'd applied to the Huntsman Academy of their choice, and if they were accepted, they would be faced with the opportunity to grow into the strong, righteous protectors of humanity they were meant to be.

It was Ozpin's favourite time of the year. It was always good to see fresh, enthusiastic new faces in his Academy, training to become the very best of the best. Now, of all times, they were needed. In recent years, the Grimm had gradually but indisputably grown in population. The amount of Grimm-related civilian casualties was growing out of acceptable boundaries.

Indeed, dark times were coming. But for now, it was still an era of peace for the men and women of Remnant. And the Huntsmen who graduated from this Academy-and those from the others across the continent-would do all that was in their power to preserve that peace.

"Hmm…I'm not sure about her…her background…in Mistral? It seems…humph. I suppose I'll have to check that out…" In the corner of the room, a young bespectacled blonde woman glanced at transcripts on a Scroll.

Ozpin smiled at her. Glynda Goodwitch, one of Beacon's finest prodigies and of the most talented students that he'd had the pleasure of teaching. That was quite a statement, considering he'd been its headmaster for as long as most men could remember. Young Glynda had always scored top marks, worked hard, and, underneath her gruff exterior, had a kind heart. Though she had graduated only two years ago, she had already risen through the ranks of the Academy and become Ozpin's secretary. She was one of the few people Oz trusted completely, and he appreciated her more than he could ever say.

Sipping his coffee, the headmaster scrolled through the news, taking it all in slowly. James Ironwood was quickly making momentum in his new military campaign. The Schnee Dust Company was growing more profitable by the day. The crime rates against Faunus were increasing.

"Tch!" Glynda said suddenly, disrupting him. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"No, nothing sir. Nothing you need to concern yourself with." She assured him. "It's just another one of those students who think they can get into Beacon with, well…less than stellar records."

"I see." She was right, it was not his concern. However, he did find his interest ever-so-slightly piqued. He gestured for her to hand him the Scroll, and she obeyed.

"Hmmm…" Ozpin glanced at the transcript. Glynda was right. This young woman from Vale was certainly not fit to study at Beacon. Her only training records were at a low-reputation combat school in the countryside, and her grades hadn't been particularly impressive. He sighed. It was always a shame to have to turn down such aspiring youths. He glanced at the girl's picture.

"I think it's time we made the registration process a bit stricter," Glynda noted, mostly to herself. "Honestly, the way it is now, it's a bit too loose for my taste. It wouldn't do to have some in-over-his-head punk cheat his way into our fine school, now would it?"

"…"

"Professor Ozpin?" she inquired. "Is everything all right?"

Ozpin did not answer. He had not even heard her. His mind was elsewhere, in times long gone, so long ago even the eldest man in Remnant had forgotten. The girl…this talentless girl with ambition far beyond her capabilities…with her short, dark hair and red streaks, with her shy, frightened smile that suggested she was afraid the camera itself would attack her…her eyes were the colour of a brilliant, silver steel.

"Professor Ozpin!" Glynda repeated loudly.

"Ah." Ozpin was taken back to reality. "My apologies, Glynda. If it is not too much of a trouble, may I request something?"

"Anything at all, sir."

"Good. Then I would like you to approve this girl's transcript."

Glynda's eyes widened. "But sir…she is not suited for Beacon! Surely you know that as well as I! Her records are abysmal-"

"I would not call them "abysmal," yet you are correct, they are not up to our Academy's standards."

"But then…why?"

Ozpin smiled wearily. "Why, indeed? I suppose you could call it…an _intuition_ of mine."

"...Intuition? I don't quite follow…" Glynda's gaze turned serious. "…Sir. If I may ask, is this about-"

"Please, Glynda, just do as I have said. Answers will come, in time. They always do."

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "…All right, sir. I'll prepare the acceptance documents."

"Thank you, Glynda."

She left the room, and Ozpin was thus left alone to his thoughts.

"That girl…" he murmured. "Could it be?"

* * *

 _All was darkness. Every fabric of reality in one's sight, every last sensation in one's body…nothing but despair and rage existed in this world. Amongst the desolate landscape, the sky crimson like blood…were a mere mortal unfortunate to survive his first second within this nightmare, he would have no doubt that he had been condemned to the bowels of Hell itself._

 _Creatures of fear and disgust prowled the land, each growling for a craving that would never be fulfilled, and insatiable bloodlust that would withstand eternity. The Grimm. Large and small, young and old, from the common wolves to the abominations even the most fearless of Huntsmen had never even conceived in the darkest pits of their nightmares…all of them made their home here. And in the centre of it all…_ it _rose._

" _The time is approaching," the thing spoke. "Spoke" was not quite right. It was less of a voice and more of a projection that came from nowhere, yet everywhere. "Soon, our chance will come."_

 _The thing was smiling to itself. Its enemy would make their move very soon. It had no intention of stopping them. In fact, it was quite the opposite._

 _Let them plan their schemes._

 _Let them dream._

 _Let them hope._

 _And then…we will crush it all._


	2. A New Beginning

**Volume 1: The Silver Will**

 **Chapter 1: A New Beginning**

The peace of the bright, sunny afternoon was shattered by the thunderous roar of the ship's engines as it reached its destination. In front of the grand vessel was the shining light of the kingdom of Vale: Beacon Academy. Within the ship, hundreds of seventeen-year old boys and girls gazed in wonder at what was going to be their home for the next four years. It was like a beautiful dream that had finally come true. All their lives, they'd studied, trained, worked hard to fulfill their hopes, and now it had all culminated in this moment. They couldn't wait to slay some Grimm, to rescue the innocent from danger, to form bonds with their fellow students. This was a new beginning for all of them.

From now on, they were genuine Huntsmen-in-training.

The moment the ship's doors opened, everyone grabbed their weapons, their Scrolls, their equipment, and ran out towards the Academy as fast as their legs could take them. Towards their bright, unknown future.

One student, however, lagged behind the rest. A short, slender girl wearing a white cloak that covered her whole body. No one had really paid attention to her on the ride; she had mostly stood in the corner, away from all the other students. She hadn't spoken a single word since they'd boarded. As she stepped out the door, the bright sunlight nearly blinded her, even underneath the safety of her cloak. Timidly, Summer Rose raised her head and took in the full grandeur of her new school. It was much bigger than she'd anticipated.

"So this is it, then." She murmured to herself, so quietly even she could barely hear it.

She hadn't really expected that she'd actually be accepted into Beacon Academy. Her grades must have barely scraped the line of acceptance for them to approve her entry. She smiled fearfully. _Well, whatever the case, I guess they'll be expecting a lot of me, huh?_

It wasn't something she was used to. No one had ever expected much of young Summer. A sickly child born to a poor country family was never held to high expectations. In her early years, she was used to relying on others' kindness; she simply had no strength of her own. And while her parents loved her very much and did all they could for her, they were simply unable to support her with what little they had. So, when she was barely old enough to remember their faces, they'd shipped Summer off to a boarding school, where she'd first learned how to fight.

Predictably, she hadn't been any good at it. She was at the bottom of virtually every class, and it soon became clear she couldn't wield a sword to save her life. She hadn't had any real companions, either. The other boys and girls had all made fun of her, of her horrible swordsmanship, of her lack of stamina, of the unusual colour of her eyes. It had been a miserable existence, and Summer had been ready to just give up. Then, one day, a spark of hope had entered her life. An aspiring Huntress from Beacon Academy had come to her school to give a brief presentation. From her words, Summer had learned of the value of fighting to protect others, and the valor in combating the evils that plagued the world-Grimm, criminals, and more.

It wasn't a particularly unique speech, yet it had changed the young girl's life forever. This woman was only 18, yet she'd shone with more grace and power than any adult Summer had ever known. It was at that moment that she'd decided. One day, she too would study at Beacon.

From then on, she'd started to train harder than ever before. No matter how many times her classmates belittled her lack of skill, she kept working. Though she'd never truly be extraordinary, her grades slowly improved. And while her swordsmanship was still rather poor, she'd soon found a worthy substitute.

Standing there in the courtyard, Summer smiled as she took out her bow and arrow and caressed it gently. She remembered the first time she'd taken an archery class, and how natural the bow had felt in her hands. It was an entirely different feeling from holding a blade. From that day, she'd never wanted to use any other weapon. With her newfound confidence and some hard work, she'd risen from the worst student in the school to one of the best by her graduation. The very day she received her diploma, she'd written up her transcript and submitted it to Beacon Academy. Though she knew that the odds were slim, that even with her improvement she was still leagues below the average Beacon hopeful, she'd held on to hope, praying with all her heart that she'd be accepted.

And those prayers had been answered. She was here. Summer took a deep breath and took her first step forward into her new life…

…and promptly tripped over her own cloak.

 _Thud._ Her head slammed into the pavement ungracefully. Some of the students ahead looked behind and saw her, chuckled at her clumsiness, and simply continued walking.

"Ow, ow, ow…" she muttered. The pain in her head was already fading, but her face was flushed red with embarrassment. She hoped this wasn't setting the tone for her entire life at the school. _Way to make a first impression, Summer._ Awkwardly, she got up and dusted herself off.

"You all right?" A voice came out from in front of her.

"Huh?" she looked up. A young man was standing right before her, holding out his hand. He must've seen her trip. Filled with apprehension at this rather unflattering social interaction, Summer ducked down again and attempted to move past him.

"What, you're not gonna say anything?" The boy, rather rudely, grabbed her by the shoulder. "C'mon, you gotta talk to some people while you're here!" He turned her around and pulled down her hood, bringing her face uncomfortably close to his. "Hey, I got an idea! Why don't you be my friend?"

"E-Eh? Y-your friend?" she stared at him nervously. The boy wore a pleasant-looking brown vest over a beige shirt. His muscular, tattooed arms were left exposed. He had sky-blue eyes and short blonde hair that was as bright as the sun. _He's actually pretty cute,_ Summer thought to herself grudgingly. Still, she wasn't quite ready to be all intimate with him just yet.

"Don't you have any sense of personal space?" She muttered with as much sass as she could muster. That was how she got through most conversations.

"Ahaha, sorry. It's kind of a problem for me." The boy laughed, scratching his head awkwardly. "I'm still working on it." His eyes widened. "That's right, I haven't told you my name." He held out his hand once more. "The name's Tai. Nice to meet you."

"…I'm Summer." Reluctantly, she accepted his handshake. Tai seemed rather friendly. A bit too insensitive for her taste, but she could tell that he was a pretty nice guy. As far as first friends went, she supposed she could've done a lot worse.

"Well, Summer, now that we're best friends, why don't we head inside? You wouldn't want to miss the opening ceremony, eh?"

"Ah, right." She'd completely forgotten about that. "Yeah, let's go."

The two of them walked, side by side, towards the school building. Summer realized she hadn't walked so closely to anyone else her age for a very long time, let alone a boy. It actually felt kind of nice.

"So, what's your story, Summer?" Tai asked.

"Hmm?"

"I mean, why did you want to study at Beacon? Where did you go to school? What's your weapon? Your Semblance? Your-"

"Don't you think that's a bit too many questions?" She wasn't trying to be rude. She just didn't feel comfortable answering some of those questions just yet.

"Huh? Man, you really don't like talking, eh?" Tai paused, then sighed. "I guess you have a point. Ok, then let's just start with the first one. Why Beacon?"

Summer thought for a few seconds, then replied: "I wanted to be a Huntress."

"Uh, ok, well _duh._ That's why we're all here. I mean, do you have any specific reason?" Tai inquired.

"…Well…" _Think, Summer, think._ "Um…I guess if you really want a reason…I wanted to get stronger. I was always a weak child. But I thought that if I became a Huntress, I wouldn't have to rely on everyone else my whole life. I'd finally be able to stand up for myself."

She looked up, hoping Tai was satisfied. She was surprised to see that his face had become unusually serious. She felt the nervousness rise up inside her. Had he not liked her response?

"Not having to relying on everyone else…" he muttered to himself. "I see. That's a pretty good reason."

"Tai?"

"Ah, don't worry." He switched back to his sunny smile. "Just…thinking about stuff."

"…Ok then." Seeing his strange expression had aroused her curiosity. She wondered what Tai's reason for attending Beacon was. Perhaps he'd once been in the same situation as her, a poor child struggling to fend for themselves. His clothes looked rather shabby and worn-down, after all.

However, she didn't have the chance to ask. They'd arrived at the auditorium.

The room was gigantic. Even with all the students gathered there, it was only half-full. It was covered in ancient, intricately-carved architecture. In the back of the room was a large stage. On it was a sole microphone stand and a red curtain leading backstage.

Summer felt a wave of nausea rise up inside her, being surrounded by so many people. She forced it down with all her might. If she wanted to survive her new life at Beacon, she'd have to learn to interact with others for a change. Besides, it was the first day and she'd already made a new friend. She could do this.

Nervously, she looked around at the students, taking note of the more eye-catching subjects. A tall purple-haired girl with spectacles wearing an expensive-looking dress. A bulky young man wielding a large switch-axe with ease. A boy and a girl wearing matching black-and-red outfits; probably twins. All of them already looked like skilled, experienced Huntsmen. Could she possibly hope to compare to them?

Suddenly, a young woman walked onto the stage. "Attention, students." She spoke into the microphone. "Headmaster Ozpin will now make his welcoming speech. Please be silent." She stood to the side as the stage curtains opened, and a tall, gray-haired man with small reading glasses walked out. All was quiet.

"Greetings, students." He smiled at all the young men and women gathered in front of him. "Welcome to Beacon."


	3. The Twins

**Chapter 2: The Twins**

"Today, all of you have gathered here with a single purpose in mind." Headmaster Ozpin began his speech. His voice resonated throughout the entire auditorium. "To train yourself to become the finest Huntsmen and Huntresses in all of Remnant, to be the guardians of the land who will vanquish the evil that torments it."

Summer shifted uncomfortably where she stood. The headmaster spoke in a stern, yet kind voice that was impossible not to pay attention to. However, she had a strange feeling welling up inside her as Ozpin continued with his speech.

"However, each of you also carry your own, personal goal that you wish to come to fruition. You believe that our Academy will be the key to fulfilling that wish. It will be your duty, and yours alone, to ensure that those goals do not conflict with your duties as Huntsmen. And if you are here because you believe you can find your purpose in life through your training…then it is up to you to determine that purpose."

 _My own, personal goal…my purpose, huh?_ Summer couldn't help but smile to herself. _I guess "I want to become stronger" isn't really that impressive of a lifelong dream._

"Do not fear, I will not intrude on your precious time any longer. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. I trust you will all be ready." With that, Ozpin smiled one more time at his audience and retreated behind the curtain once more. The young woman-Professor Goodwitch-took the microphone.

"Feel free to talk amongst yourselves, however I recommend that you head to the ballroom as soon as possible. That is where you will be sleeping tonight. You will all need a good night's sleep for tomorrow's initiation. Good luck to you all." She turned and followed Ozpin off the stage.

It had been a nice speech. Surprisingly short, yet it got its message across well, which was something Summer could certainly appreciate. However, that uncomfortable sensation had plagued her throughout the entire thing, and she now realized what it was. She couldn't help but feel that during his speech, the headmaster's gaze had been fixated solely on her.

It was certainly an odd idea. What reason would the headmaster of Beacon have for showing any particular interest in an ordinary young woman?

"Well then!" Tai's voice broke her out of her brown study. "With that out of the way, how about we get out there and make ourselves popular?"

"Huh?" Pulling herself back to reality, Summer noticed that the other students were indeed beginning to mingle with one another. The auditorium was bustling with conversation, each drowning out the others in a sea of words. She glanced skeptically at all of them. They all looked impressive, sure, but was there anyone in particular she'd really want to be friends with?

"I guess we could try," she shrugged. "Though I'm not sure I'd be able to fit in with any of them. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit shy."

"What kind of way of thinking is that?" Tai smiled at her. "You never know until you try, right? I mean, you already got me, right? I bet it's that feminine charm of yours! You'll probably have guys clamoring over you left and right soon!"

 _Right now I kind of doubt it._ That wasn't really something she particularly cared about right now. She was more concerned that if she tried to befriend any of these students, they'd try to compare her to themselves. That they'd deem her unfit to be their friend. It had happened all the time back at her old school, and was a large reason why she'd more or less given up on social interaction by the time she was thirteen. She tried to explain it the best she could. "I just…" she muttered. "…don't think they'll accept me."

"What's that supposed to mean? I think you're pretty alright." Tai patted her shoulder. "Well, if you really don't want to, you can help me scout out some new buddies. And with their help, I'm gonna build an awesome team here at Beacon. The Tai Gang of Pure Awesome and Ass-Kicking!"

 _The…what?_ Summer couldn't help but giggle. That was the most ridiculous thing she'd heard all day. Somehow, it made her feel better. _That's right, you just said to yourself that you could do this. Now prove it to yourself._

"What, you don't like the name?" Tai's face fell. "Aww, and I spent all night coming up with it, too."

"No, I think it's cute!" she said honestly with a smile. "Now, let's go make some friends."

* * *

"Hey there!" Tai grinned cheerfully at a mousy-haired girl wandering about the room aimlessly. "How are you?"

"Hmm? Umm, I'm fine, thank you." The girl turned around quickly, but not quickly enough for Tai and Summer to miss the round, white tail protruding from her behind.

 _A Faunus, huh?_ Summer thought. This girl was part of a species that was part human and part animal. Specifically, this girl was a rabbit-type Faunus. No one was really sure where they'd originated from. When she was little, Summer had been told how Faunus were savages who merely looked human, but were amoral killers. However, seeing some of them up close and personal, Summer thought they didn't seem any different from regular humans.

"What's your name?" She asked the girl.

"Harriet. Harriet Maroon."

"Harriet Maroon?" Tai's eyes lit up. "Hey, I know your name! You're from Signal Academy, right?"

"E-eh? Oh yeah, right. Yeah, that's where I went before Beacon. And you're-"

"I'm Tai. I don't think we ever talked back at Signal, but why don't we change that now? You'll want to remember my name for when I become the coolest guy in the whole school! And when I do, if you're my friend, I'll be sure to grant you some special…"he winked at her. "…privileges."

Harriet Maroon gazed at him skeptically. Summer couldn't blame her. She sighed, wondering if she should step in and try to make some conversation. But what was there to talk about? She wasn't a very interesting person; more than likely Harriet would get bored of her soon.

"So…uh, well, if you're done talking," Harriet spoke up quietly, with a hint of annoyance. "I think I'll be on my-"

"Not at all!" Tai grabbed her by the shoulder and stared into her eyes with a big, friendly smile. Watching, Summer had an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu. _I hope this isn't how he greets every new person he meets._

"I can't just leave you to wander around by yourself, you know! Here, meet my friend, Summer. She's really nice! And she's super shy, too, so I bet you'll get along really well!"

 _Was that meant as a compliment?_ Summer smiled awkwardly at her. "Hey."

"…Hey." An uncomfortable silence followed. Summer could feel her newfound confidence fading back into anxiety. Desperate, she said the first thing she could think of.

"So, um, Harriet, why'd you come to Beacon?"

"What?!" Her widened in fear for a moment. "Well…I wanted to prove to people that I'm a strong person. That being a Faunus doesn't automatically make me some-some evil monster or whatever." _Fair enough,_ thought Summer. She was also here to prove her own strength as well.

Opening up seemed to have helped the girl's talkativeness. She went on, reaching into her back and pulling out a pair of claw gauntlets. "This is my weapon. I made it myself with my father's equipment."

"Ooh, shiny! Let me see." Tai leaned in for a closer look. "Hmm, the craft is pretty good…Mistral, if I had to guess." His eyes widened. "Holy crap. Is that an Aura Capsule?"

 _Aura?_ Summer's interest was piqued.

Aura. A mysterious form of energy that existed within all living, breathing organisms. With enough training, a person could "awaken" their Aura and channel it as a protective shield in battle, or a form of attack. They could even channel their Aura to utilize powerful abilities called Semblances, which were unique to each user. But even then, only a select few were capable of materializing their Aura into a physical form-an Aura Capsule-and using it enhance their weaponry, generating power far beyond that of Dust.

She glanced at Harriet. This girl had mousy-brown hair tied up in a ponytail, a rather bland plaid dress, and her face was covered in freckles and acne. She didn't look particularly impressive, but if she could pull off such a rare technique, she must actually be really talented.

 _I guess looks really can be deceiving,_ Summer thought to herself.

"Yeah, I made them, too." Harriet replied with a smile. "Took me a while to get the craft right, but it was worth it. They're really useful and I've won many battles thanks to them."

"And yet, you're still nothing but a stupid little bunny."

The three of them turned around abruptly, hearing the unfamiliar voice. A male student with jet-black hair, large bushy eyebrows, and a fancy yellow robe walked up to them with an unpleasant grin on his face.

"Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of idiots and a Faunus chatting it up. Isn't that cute? It's like you're meant for each other!" He threw his head back with rather unnecessary flair and laughed.

The other students in the auditorium started to take notice of the boy's mean-spirited behaviour. Several heads turned in their direction.

Summer felt chills running down her back. _They're all staring at me. W-what should I do? This is bad…_

She shook her head. _No. I can't panic. This jerk just walked up to you and called you an idiot. Stand up for yourself for once in your life!_

She mustered up her courage. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

"Huh?" The boy glanced at her, as if he hadn't even noticed her presence. He sneered. "Why the hell should I have to introduce myself to a peasant like you, hmmm? Don't you have any idea who I am?"

"I don't think so, and all the better that she isn't acquainted with some low-life like you." Tai responded, his eyes flashing in anger.

"Quiet, you. You don't even have the right to look at someone like me." The boy said without even sparing him a glance. "As for you…" he walked up to Harriet, and, without warning, grabbed her by the neck.

"Hey!" yelled Tai, outraged. "The hell's wrong with you?!"

The boy ignored him. "Look at you, little bunny." He said with a smirk, holding the terrified girl as she struggled to break free of his grip. "Sooo proud of yourself for building your little toys, huh? Well, I can't blame you. For a pathetic Faunus like you, something as trivial as this must seem pretty damn impressive, huh?"

 _What's with him? Does he have nothing better to do than to pick on random students?_

More and more students were noticing the commotion. They started to whisper to one another.

 _Dammit. I have to do something about this._ Summer was practically shaking in fear, but she had to protect this girl who was being unfairly bullied. After all, protecting the helpless was a Huntress' job.

Without thinking, she pulled out her bow and arrow and aimed it straight at the bully's head.

"Leave her alone _. Now."_

The entire auditorium-including the bully-immediately went silent and turned to her in shock.

 _Wait. What did I just do?_

With a sinking feeling, she realized she'd just done something unbelievably stupid. And there was no way to take it back.

"Oh, you're more interesting than you look." The boy let go of Harriet, who collapsed to the ground, gasping. He smiled cruelly at her. "Your eyes just now…the way they shone like a warrior's…I think you'll be a worthy opponent to me after all!"

He drew his weapon-a royal-looking sceptre with gold engravings. "Alright lady, I accept your challenge to duel!"

The crowd burst into cheers.

 _Huh? Oh. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. Not this. Not like this. Why did I do that, why did I do that?_

All of Summer's confidence had melted away like snow. Less than an hour in and she'd already screwed up in the most extreme way possible. And now this boy was challenging her to a duel? He was probably way stronger than she was. She'd be humiliated _and_ ostracized for starting a fight and no one would want to talk to her and she'd be all alone for the next four years and-

Too late, she'd realized that in her panic and self-criticism the boy had already started the fight.

"Ready or not…" He yelled, swinging his sceptre. "Here I c-"

"That's quite enough."

Out of nowhere, a student had walked up to the boy and grabbed his weapon out of his hands.

"Huh?" The boy glanced down stupidly, where his weapon had been a second ago.

Everyone's gaze turned to the new arrival.

She was a tall, beautiful young woman, with dark hair flowing majestically down her back. She had crimson red eyes and was wearing a Gothic-style red and black dress. Though she was probably the same age as everyone else there, she radiated an aura of power and maturity that made her look much older and wiser. Summer recognized her as one of the students she'd taken notice of when she'd first entered the building.

"Hmm, crafted in Atlas." The girl muttered, casually glancing over the weapon. "Powerful, but in rather poor shape. A hand-me-down if I were to wager. I'll rate it a B minus." The bully simply stood there, gazing at her in shock.

The girl looked up. "That's quite enough." She repeated, to everyone in the room this time. "I suggest you all make your way to the ballroom as soon as possible. Please, there is nothing more for you to see here."

Almost unconsciously, the students all nodded and wordlessly headed towards the direction in which the girl pointed. The only ones who remained in the auditorium were Tai, Summer, Harriet, the bully, the mysterious girl, and the boy who'd worn a similar outfit to hers-most likely her brother. He walked up to the rest of them wordlessly.

The girl handed the bully his weapon. "Please, I'd advise you not to start trouble wherever you can; it's quite irritating. And if I may add, don't use your weapon to start fights with random children in your neighbourhood. It only wears down its quality."

All of his bravado crushed, the boy took his sceptre and could only meekly growl, "I-I won't forget this!" before running off at full speed.

"Ah, I don't believe the ballroom is that way." The girl said with a smile.

" #$% &*!" The boy yelled an unintelligible swear word over his shoulder.

"Well then. That's taken care of." The mystery girl turned around and smiled at the group. _She really is pretty,_ Summer thought to herself, blushing. "I'm sorry if that man caused you any annoyance. Though I might add," she said, turning towards Harriet with a stern gaze. "It might not have escalated so far if you had simply spoken up for yourself, young lady."

"U-uhh…" Harriet stammered.

"Hey, that's kind of uncalled for, don't you think?" Tai spoke up in her defence. "She was being bullied. It's only natural to freeze up when someone's bad-mouthing you like that!"

"A-and besides, it's not like she couldn't stand up for herself!" Summer added. "She had her weapon, she could've fought back if she wanted to!"

The mystery girl turned to them both. There was a moment's silence, then she said to Summer:

"A bow and arrow. No particularly special attributes, but in top condition. Simple yet effective. I rate it a B plus. You're Summer Rose, I presume?"

"Huh?" Summer's eyes widened. "Yeah, that's me, but…how do you know my name?"

"I have my ways." She said coolly. "It's important to know all that you can about the people you'll be working with at such a vital point in your life. What you did just now was quite impressive. I think you've got a bright future ahead of you." Without so much as a pause, she then turned to Tai. "No weapon. Attacks primarily with Dust-infused physical enhancements. You're Taiyang Xiao Long, correct?"

 _Is that his full name? Kind of a mouthful._

"That I am." Tai grinned. "And what about you? I don't believe I caught your name, gorgeous."

Summer rolled her eyes. _He sure likes to lay it on thick._

The girl smiled again, apparently accepting the compliment. "Raven Branwen, hailing from the Kingdom of Atlas. It's a pleasure to meet you all." She bowed gracefully. "And this is my twin brother, Qrow." She gestured to her brother, who had been silent the whole time.

"Hey," said Qrow gruffly. His voice was surprisingly deep considering his lean appearance.

Summer waved shyly at the two of them. These two siblings looked pretty strong. Qrow was quite handsome, though in a different way from Tai. Raven was admittedly rather scary, but in the way that made you glad to have her on your side. _More new friends, huh?_

"Well then, now that that's done, we'll be on our way." Raven said. "See you in the ballroom, everyone. I'd prefer if you didn't get involved in more incidents tonight."

"If you do, my sister's probably gonna do more than just snatch up some dumbass kid's weapon." Qrow said with a wry smile.

And with that, the two of them walked off.

"Well, they seem cool." Tai noted.

"Yeah." Summer nodded. She hoped she'd be able to talk to them more soon.

"U-umm," Harriet spoke up. The two of them turned around to face her. "Thanks for, um, standing up for me back there. I really appreciate it!"

"No problem!" Tai responded with a smile. "Protecting people in danger is a Huntsman's duty! Though, uh, I think Summer did most of the cool stuff." He added sheepishly.

Summer smiled at Harriet, who smiled back. She was starting to feel a bit better. Rash as it was, what she'd done had been the right thing. She'd stood up to defend someone who needed help. That was all that mattered.

The three of them made their way to the ballroom together. Once there, Tai said a quick "See ya" to Summer before going off to the men's side of the room. Harriet walked up to a group of Faunus girls who were all clustered together. Maybe amongst her own kind she could make some friends.

Summer, just now realizing how dead-tired she was, yawned and plopped down in a corner of the room. Without bothering to change into her pajamas, she crammed herself into one of the sleeping bags provided.

She looked at the people settling down around her. She recognized some of them from back in the auditorium. A few noticed her and whispered to one another-probably gossip about the crazy chick who had started a fight at the opening ceremony. They were quickly shut up by Raven, who was walking by. She waved at Summer before moving into her own sleeping bag.

It had been a rather messy first day at Beacon. Summer wouldn't say it had been a total disaster, though. Sure, the incident with that black-haired boy had left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she'd also met Tai, and some other people who she was sure she'd become friends with soon.

And tomorrow was her initiation. Her chance to prove to herself, and the entire school, that she had what it took to be a Huntress.

She could hardly wait for dawn.


	4. Initiation

**Chapter 3: Initiation**

"Hmm…" Ozpin murmured as he looked through the video feed. Specifically, the clip of Summer Rose threatening a bully with her bow and arrow. "It seems my hunch was correct after all."

"You think so, Headmaster? All I see is a rash girl who can't seem to use her head." Glynda said with a frown.

"Indeed, that is what you see, Glynda. But everything is a matter of perspective. Where you saw an action made in haste and foolishness, I saw an act of courage made without the slightest hesitation. The mark of a true warrior."

"…If you say so." The young professor still looked skeptical. "In the meantime, sir, a message has come from James Ironwood."

"Ah. And what would the aspiring young colonel of the Atlesian military want with me?"

"He didn't say, sir. Apparently he'd like to speak with you in person about it when you visit Atlas Academy for the Vytal Festival later this year."

"I see. Very well, I will meet with him when that time comes." The headmaster reflected on the time when he'd decided to make James Ironwood his confidant. It had been around the time Glynda had graduated from Beacon. Old Headmaster Onyx of Atlas had recommended him. Ozpin had been skeptical at first, but then he'd seen the young man's determined spirit, and how he'd practically radiated strength and ambition. Just like Glynda, James was quite young, but Ozpin had chosen to put his faith in that spirit, and it hadn't let him down…yet.

Ozpin could guess as to what James was so intent on speaking to him about. Robberies and homicides in Atlas had skyrocketed in the past few weeks. Many of them were discriminatory attacks against Faunus. What was more, a single, currently nameless crime faction was claiming responsibility for _all_ of the incidents. Normally, it wouldn't be enough of an issue for James to contact Ozpin, but the rise in crime rate had occurred immediately after-not before-an increase in Grimm population. It was more than a little suspicious. Perhaps it was a sign that someone-or something-was making their move.

Or perhaps James had simply been driven paranoid by all the secrets that Ozpin had confided in him and there was truly nothing to this whole situation.

Right now, it didn't matter. Ozpin glanced at the feed once more. As Summer Rose had readied her bow, there had been a gleam in her eyes-a raging fire the likes of which he hadn't seen in any Huntsman for eons. Despite her timid appearance, she was undoubtedly strong.

But would that fire be enough to carry her through the trials she would have to face? That was what Ozpin would see for himself today.

* * *

The locker room was dead silent. Summer was the only one there. The silence was rather calming after all the commotion yesterday. She walked over to her locker and extracted her bow, arrows, Scroll, and several other accessories.

Above all else, Summer Rose was a punctual girl. The moment she'd woken up, she'd jumped out of her sleeping bag and headed for her locker. _Who knows, maybe getting up early will give me a bonus on the test._

It was only after reaching her locker that she remembered she hadn't had breakfast. After a moment's thought, she took a small box of Pumpkin Pete's cereal out of the locker and downed it. It was very sweet.

"I don't think that cereal is very good for you."

"Huh?' Summer turned around. Turns out she wasn't alone. A girl with purple hair and glasses was taking out a pair of pistols from her locker on the other side of the room. _Has she been there the whole time?_

"I just thought you should know. The grape flavour is particularly bad. Being unhealthy isn't very Huntress-like, after all." She continued. "It'll only impede your progress for today's activities." She had a dignified way of speaking, much like Raven, but she seemed a little less…distant. Less dominant, more conversational.

"You're the girl who drew her weapon on Jin yesterday, right?" She inquired. "You were the talk of the school the whole evening."

 _Jin. So that's the guy's name._ "Ahahaha, really?" _That doesn't sound good._ "It was kind of stupid of me, to be honest. I really didn't want to attract all that attention. "

"There's no need for concern. Since he had his Aura, you wouldn't have harmed him, anyway. Personally, I think you were quite brave, standing up to Jin like that." She smiled at her. "Summer, right? Pleased to meet you. I'm-"

"Heather Fox, number one student of Dusk Academy, Vacuo." Raven stepped into the locker room. The two girls turned to her in surprise. "Youngest daughter in a family reputable for producing fine Huntsmen and Huntresses. Weapon: Set of dual Dust-powered pistols. They look rather intricate, however this is a ruse. They are perfectly ordinary guns and are rather low-quality. They provide a distraction for the real weapon: the spectacles, a state-of-the art creation of Atlesian technology. They are programmed to analyze an opponent's stats and possible moves and come up with an ideal battle strategy. Overall a creative weapon in design and application. I rate it a solid A."

Heather's eyes widened. "Impressive! Not many people see through my strategy even after I defeat them. You seem to know your information quite well."

"I do my best." Raven replied coolly. She walked over to her locker and retrieved her weapon; a long red katana with multiple slots for Dust enhancements.

Summer suddenly realized she was standing in a room alone with (presumably) two of the best students in the entire Academy. And getting a closer look at Heather, she was just as beautiful as Raven, with her tall, lithe body and long, flowing hair. She was starting to feel more than a little inadequate. _I have a long way to go if I ever want to compare to these two._

"So, Summer, who do you think will be on your team?" Heather inquired.

"Hmm?"

"Your team. Everyone at Beacon gets sorted into a team of four after the initiation. The initiation will determine who gets to be on whose team. You must have given some thought about who you'd want to be your comrades for the next four years."

Summer had not given much thought to it. She'd figured that she'd just have to put up with whoever she ended up with. Still, she tried her best to answer Heather's question.

"I wouldn't mind having Tai on my team." She admitted. "He can be a bit annoying, but he's a nice guy and I feel pretty comfortable talking to him. Honestly though, I think I'd be OK with anyone as long as it's not that guy with the sceptre from yesterday."

"Ah yes, him." Raven curled her lip dispassionately. "Jin Shi-Huang. The only child of a rather well-to-do family in Atlas. Went to Jupiter Academy, and has rather above-average combat capabilities. That being said, his…disposition leaves something to be desired."

 _That's one way to put it._ Summer shuddered as she remembered how Jin had smiled cruelly as he'd bullied poor Harriet. These were the type of people she'd always been afraid of growing up. Sometimes people were just as-if not more-frightening than Grimm.

"Morning, ladies!" A familiar voice rang out from behind her.

Tai walked into the room with his usual smile. Several other students followed behind him, including Qrow. It seemed like the other students were getting up now.

"Hey Tai." Summer smiled. What she'd said to Heather wasn't a lie; she really was comfortable being around him. He was just one of those people who was easy to get along with.

"Hey Summer. Today's the day, huh? Hope you're ready to go out there and prove yourself! I know I am!" Tai was as energetic as before. He walked over to his locker, humming to himself.

Raven, meanwhile, was glancing skeptically at her brother, who had extracted his weapon-an enormous sword-from his locker.

"Brother, did you remember to tune your blade before you went to bed yesterday?"

"Wha-? O-of course I did!" Qrow replied unconvincingly. "Besides, it's not like it's gonna break just because I forget to add the Dust _one_ time!"

"Mm, if you say so. Just know it will be your fault when you're surrounded by Grimm in the forest, without a working weapon, screaming helplessly, "Please, sister, help me! If only I'd listened to you earlier!""

"You're the worst." Qrow sighed. "Well, anyway, we'll definitely end up on the same team, so you can watch over my ass all you want. You don't need to worry about me doing anything stupid, though." He turned to Summer with a scowl. "I'm not so sure about _her,_ though."

"Huh? Me?" Summer was taken aback.

"Yeah, you. I'm not sure what was going through your head when you drew your little bow on the idiot's face, but keep doing dumb crap like that and you won't last long here, I can tell you that."

"She was defending that Faunus girl!" Tai rushed to her defense. "She did the right thing!"

Qrow snorted. "You're talking like she was acting outta some sense of _courage_ or _justice._ As far as I could tell, she was just being too stupid to think for herself before acting." Tai stared at him in shock, astonished by the young man's rudeness.

Summer was taken aback by Qrow's hurtful words, which were all the more painful in how true they were. _He's right. I really wasn't being brave at all. I just acted on instinct. That wasn't courage, it was foolishness. Something unbecoming of a Huntress._ Still, she couldn't just stand there and take it.

"And what would you have done?" She murmured as loud as she could.

"What?" He seemed surprised by the question.

"If you'd seen someone being unfairly treated, wouldn't you have done whatever you could to defend them?" She asked. She wasn't sure where this sudden talkativeness had come from, but she kept going. "You're right. I acted stupidly. But my instincts told me to protect that person who was unable to protect themselves. Don't you think that's the whole point of being a Huntress?"

"I…" Qrow was left speechless, staring at her. His gaze lowered. "Don't act like you know anything about me." He muttered pathetically.

There was an awkward silence. Summer looked around her. Most of the students were, thankfully, minding their own business. Raven and Heather were looking at her approvingly. Tai grinned and flashed her a thumbs-up.

Summer glanced at Qrow, who was still staring at the ground with an irritated expression on his face. The way he stood there awkwardly, as if trying to shift attention from himself, felt very familiar to her.

He didn't radiate the same respectable, dignified air that Raven had, despite being her twin. Most likely, he'd lived his whole life in her shadow. He'd probably struggled a lot for recognition and had never really gotten it. _He's not too different from me._ Summer noted sadly. She knew how it felt to not be appreciated by others. Still, she couldn't exactly forgive the fact that Qrow had been a bit of a massive jerk to her.

Raven broke the silence. "Well then, if we're all done, let us head outside. It wouldn't do to be late for our first day."

Right on cue, the speaker in the room suddenly turned on, and Professor Goodwitch's voice rang out. "All first-year students, please head to Beacon Cliff to begin your initiation. Again, all first-year students please head to Beacon Cliff immediately."

They all nodded in silent agreement. One by one, they grabbed their equipment and headed out the door.

* * *

"I'm glad to see you are all on time." Ozpin said, glancing over all the students gathered in front of him. "Without further ado, allow me to explain the initiation process."

Summer looked around uncomfortably. They were standing on the edge of a very steep cliff. Everyone was standing on their own podium, forming a single long row. She looked for familiar faces. Qrow and Raven were on either side of her. Qrow, understandably, hadn't spoken to her since the incident in the locker room. She could see Tai and Jin further down the line. Harriet and Heather were out of her sight.

She took a deep breath. _Okay, here we go. I can handle it…whatever "it" is._

"Your initiation will take place in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin explained to the group. As before, Summer had the uncanny feeling that his attention was focused exclusively on her. "Once you have landed, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."

 _Wait, seriously?_ Summer's heart sank. Her partner could literally be anyone? She couldn't choose?

 _Well, as long as it isn't Jin, I'll be fine,_ she reassured herself.

A sudden thought ran through her mind. _Wait, what did he mean by "landed"?_

"Your task is to make your way to the northern end of the Forest, destroying any Grimm you will encounter along the way. And yes," he said with a smile, 'these will be real, bloodthirsty Grimm fighting to kill."

 _That doesn't sound too bad._ Summer had gone on a few Grimm hunts by herself in preparation for attending Beacon. Nothing too extreme or reckless. Once she'd had some experience with fighting the beasts, she'd been able to take them down rather easily.

"Throughout your initiation, we will monitor you and evaluate your performance, but we will _not_ intervene." Ozpin continued. "When you reach your destination, you will find several relics scattered throughout the area. Each pair will retrieve one as proof that they have completed the test. Finally, you will all return back here. Are there any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Excellent." Ozpin smiled. "Then you may begin."

A loud noise from the far end of the line made Summer jump. She glanced in the direction of the sound. The noise repeated itself, again and again. And were those…students flying?

"See you on the other side, Summer!" Tai whooped. "Hope you've got a good landing strategy!"

 _W-w-w-w-what?!_ "Landing strategy?" She yelled, bewildered. "What do you mean?"

Tai froze. His eyes widened in surprise. "Wait. Seriously? Didn't you know about-"

 _Whoosh._ In a flash, Tai was gone, catapulted into the forest via his podium, just like the others.

 _Oh no. You have got to be kidding me._

She was wrong. She could _not_ handle this. Before she could speak up, ask Ozpin if maybe he could consider giving her a special mercy treatment, it was her turn.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" She screamed as she was flung, helpless, into the sky.

In front of her, Raven swung her katana, creating a dark-red rift in the sky. She was absorbed into it, and when the rift faded, she had disappeared.

 _Some sort of teleportation technique._ It was cool, but Summer was too busy fearing for her life to appreciate it. She looked behind her to see what Qrow was doing, but he'd vanished-there was only a small black bird flying off into the distance.

 _Well. This sucks._

Already, the ground was rushing towards her. Even with her Aura protecting her, Summer doubted she'd survive the crash without some serious injuries. _Think, Summer, think. How should I get out of this?_

She didn't have any fancy techniques or moves like the others to help her out. But maybe she didn't need them.

She pulled out a Dust crystal-solidified Dust energy that could be used as fuel or explosive power in a pinch-out of her pocket, and injected it into her bow. The bow immediately shimmered and began to quiver ominously. Summer smiled grimly. It was a long shot-literally-but it was all she had.

 _Here goes nothing._ Aiming it at the ground, she fired. A crimson red streak shot at full force towards the ground.

A loud explosion shook the forest where the arrow made contact. Several trees near the impact zone were decimated immediately. The force from the explosion flung Summer back (painfully) several feet, but ultimately broke the impact of her fall.

 _Splat._ Still, that didn't mean her landing was graceful in the slightest.

 _Ouch._ If it weren't for her Aura, she would be in serious trouble right about now. She'd bruised herself in several places from the fall.

 _I probably should have waited an extra second before firing. It might have loosened more of the impact._

Waiting for her wounds to heal, Summer took in her surroundings. Her immediate area was a big, charred-black circle from where her explosive arrow had landed. Thankfully, the damage didn't spread very far. Summer listened carefully for signs of other students, but heard nothing.

 _Oh well._ Her Aura got to work quickly. She was already feeling better. She got up, wincing at the lingering pain, and started running north. _I should get going. I need to find my partner._

Her partner. If she could choose, who would she have picked? _Tai,_ Summer thought immediately. He was friendly, cute, and probably a good fighter. He was also probably the only guy in the school she was really comfortable with.

 _I wouldn't mind Harriet._ The Faunus girl was clearly stronger than she looked, and Summer definitely wanted to protect her from any other bullies who would torment her for her species.

And although it was wishful thinking, she'd really come to like Raven. Strong, mysterious, beautiful-just like a heroine from one of Summer's favourite fairy tales. _But…would she really want someone like me as her partner?_

Summer's thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl. She turned around.

 _Grimm!_ She pulled out her bow and fired an arrow into the creature's skull as it charged towards her. The thing growled weakly before toppling over and disintegrating into nothingness.

 _Whew._ It was just a low-level Creep Grimm. Widely considered the weakest form of Grimm, even newbie Huntsmen could defeat them with ease. Unfortunately, the thing hadn't come alone.

More growling came from behind the trees. No doubt, these Grimm had been attracted by the sound of Summer's explosive entrance. They came crawling out of the shadows. More Creeps, joined by larger, more dangerous types, like Beowolves and Ursas. Panicking, Summer emptied another round of arrows into the horde, killing a few of them. However, for every one of the beasts she downed, several more simply took its place.

Too late, Summer realized she was surrounded.

 _Oh no. There's no way I can take on this many!_

The Grimm crawled closer to her, clearly smelling her fear. Summer gulped, and readied her bow. With luck, she'd be able to take out at least five more of them. But she knew that she'd never be able to defeat them all. Eventually, she'd run out of arrows and Dust crystals-or the beasts would overwhelm her-or both.

And then…she'd be done for.


	5. Partners

**Chapter 4: Partners**

Qrow soared above the Emerald Forest, taking in the scenery. Below him, countless students were going about the initiation in their own ways. Most of them hadn't encountered much opposition, and were heading towards the destination at a casual pace. The unluckier ones had run into packs of Grimm. Some had run for their lives, prioritizing the test's completion, while others, enjoying the challenge, had stayed behind to fight them off.

Not Qrow, though. He was flying high above all of the chaos, safe from any danger, in the form of a small bird-his namesake, the crow. This was his Semblance-the power to shapeshift into a crow. It allowed him to survey enemy territory with relatively low risk, and the Grimm, who only attacked humans, would not harm him. It wasn't the most impressive Semblance in terms of combat, but in certain circumstances it was very useful. This was one of them.

He recalled what Raven had said to him before they'd gone off to the Cliff for their initiation. _"I will go ahead and scout the area. You, brother, will stay in the sky until you receive my signal. Then, come to me, and we will be partners."_

Qrow sighed to himself. It was a good plan, but it made things far too easy. He'd hoped for at least somewhat of a challenge. At the very least, he wanted to blow off some steam after what that girl had said to him back at the lockers.

" _What would you have done?"_ She'd said. _"My instincts told me to protect that person who was unable to protect themselves. Don't you think that's the whole point of being a Huntress?"_

 _Tch._ Talk about self-righteous. And reckless, too, what with that little stunt with Jin and all. She had no right to ask him what he "would have done". She didn't even _know_ him! And did she really think that some fairy-tale ideology like "protect the helpless" was all there was to being a Huntsman? She really was just a kid. Qrow scowled. _That way of thinking is just gonna get her killed._

A loud explosion rung out from below, but Qrow ignored it. He glanced over the forest, searching for any sign of his sister. She hadn't said what her "signal" would be, but knowing her, he'd probably know once he saw it.

Sure enough, after about a minute, a red-and-black flare shot into the sky, some distance away, bursting into a majestic flame before disappearing. _Jackpot._ He squinted (or what counted as squinting in his avian form) in the general direction of where the signal had come from.

All of a sudden, a terrified scream rang out. Surprised, Qrow turned around to see where it had come from.

Below him, close to where he'd heard the explosion, a familiar figure in a white cloak was firing arrows at Grimm who were slowly but surely overpowering her. It was her-the girl who'd embarrassed him in front of his sister less than an hour ago. _Holy crap, that's a lot of them._ They must have been attracted by the explosion.

Qrow glanced uncertainly back at where Raven's signal had come from. He could just leave the girl, go to his sister, and continue with the initiation. Served her right anyway. Plus, it would probably help for her to learn what it meant to feel true terror for once in her life. Besides, even if she was just a stupid kid, she _was_ a Huntress-in-training, so she could handle it by herself, right?

 _No._ Instinctively, Qrow could tell that this girl would not be able to defeat all those Grimm, let alone escape. This was more than any first-year student would ever be expected to face at once. She was completely surrounded-basically a death sentence for an inexperienced Huntsman. And from what he could see, there were no other students in her vicinity who could make it in time to help her. If he left her now, she was dead meat. Simple as that. Which meant there was only one thing to do.

Qrow sighed. _Who knows?_ He thought with resignation. _Maybe she's not so bad once you get to know her._ With that thought, he spread out his wings and flew as fast as he could in her direction.

* * *

Summer was losing quickly.

The Grimm themselves weren't much of a challenge; one or two well-aimed arrows were enough to kill most of them. The problem was their numbers. There were at least twelve of them all around her, slowly advancing towards her. Soon, she wouldn't even have any space to run. Then, of, course, she'd be dead.

Cursing, she fired an arrow at a Beowolf that was moving close to the front of the pack. It hit the creature right where its heart should have been, causing it to fall over dead. Once again, though, more Grimm immediately joined the pack and continued to get even closer to the terrified girl.

 _They just keep coming!_ Summer could feel desperation welling up in her chest. She forced it down. _Don't let them smell your fear. Remember, the Grimm are attracted to negative emotions._ She took a deep breath, and took another Dust crystal out of her pocket.

 _Should I use this?_ If she fired a Dust-infused arrow, she could kill several of those Grimm at once. The problem was that the explosion would probably attract even more of the creatures. _Well, right now I don't exactly have a choice, do I?_ She injected the crystal into her bow and fired. The crimson arrow struck an Ursa right in the forehead, generating a large blast that disintegrated all nearby Grimm immediately.

Unfortunately, Summer was also caught in the blast. She was knocked over, hitting the ground with a painful _thud_. Her bow was flung out of her hand, landing several metres away from her. And just to make things worse, there was a nauseating sensation in her body that signified that her Aura-her protective shield-had been depleted. Coughing, she tried to get up, only to find a Beowolf's disgusting glowing red eyes right in her face.

 _Oh, no._ Even that hadn't been enough. There were still a few Grimm left over from her attack, one was directly in front of her, and right now she was unarmed and completely protected. The creature growled menacingly as it prepared to strike the moment its prey moved a muscle.

 _Well, this is it, I guess._ So much for proving that she had what it took to be a Huntress. She was going to die right here, right now, and most likely no one would miss her. It was really a pathetic way to go. Summer closed her eyes and braced herself for the inevitable.

"You really are an idiot." _Huh? Who was that?_

 _Clang._ The loud, metallic noise jerked her back to her senses. She opened her eyes just in time to see a young man wearing a red cape decapitate the Beowolf with his gigantic blade. The creature's body toppled to ground and faded away.

Her saviour turned around to her with a scowl on his face. "Seriously? You make that big, inspirational hero speech, make me look like a total dumbass in front of my sister, and now ten minutes later you're just gonna let yourself die? Pathetic."

"Q-q-q-q-q…" Summer stammered, staring at the boy who'd come to her rescue seemingly out of nowhere. One of the last people she'd ever expected to help her.

"QROW?!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's me, alright." He sighed. "Mind not yelling my name like a little kid, though? You'll just attract more of these stupid things." He pointed towards the two remaining Grimm-a pair of Ursas-who were now right behind Summer.

"Ahh!" She hadn't noticed them creeping up on her.

"Relax, I got 'em." Qrow growled. He shook his greatsword, and a strange whirring noise began to emanate from it. For the first time, Summer got a good look at it, and noticed it had a set of small gears near the handle that were now spinning wildly. All of a sudden, the sword extended itself for a brief moment, before splitting itself into several sections and folding backwards. The noise stopped as the sword completed its transformation.

"Hiyyyaaah!" Qrow yelled, jumping over Summer, swinging what was now a large scythe at the Ursas. With his newfound increase in range, he sliced them both clean in half with a single swing, before landing behind her. The whole thing had happened so fast, Summer had barely seen any of it. _He's really good with that thing._

She was certainly grateful to him for what he'd just done, but she was also a little bit nervous. She wondered if Qrow still harbored some resentment towards her for their little spat in the locker room. Hopefully not much, since he had just saved her life. Where had he even come from, anyway? She was sure there hadn't been any other students nearby when the Grimm had attacked her.

Well, she was safe, and for now that was all that mattered.

She got up. "Umm, thanks." She said uncomfortably to Qrow, as he retracted his weapon back to its normal form.

"Yeah, don't mention it," he replied gruffly, not even looking at her. "Figured a kid like you would need my help, considering the crap you were just dealing with."

"Kid?!" She felt anger rising up inside her, for some reason. "We're the same age."

"Physically, we are, yeah, but mentally we're generations apart. Sorry, but from my perspective, you're nothin' but a whiny little brat who's too cocky for her own good." He started to walk away.

Summer stared at him in shock. _Unbelievable. Even when he's saving my life, he still manages to be an insufferable jerk!_

She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Qrow continued.

"Well anyway, now that we're done here, why don't we make our way to the destination? If we just wait around here, more of those things will come." He pointed vaguely in the northern direction of the forest.

"Oh. Right." While she'd been fighting for her life, she'd completely forgotten about the initiation. She walked over to her bow and retrieved it. Suddenly, she stopped. "Wait, what do you mean, _we_ make our way to the destination?"

Qrow turned around, surprised. "You're kidding me, right? You seriously already forgot what the old man said? First person you meet after landing…"

 _Ah._ Summer recalled Ozpin saying something about that. The first person she made eye contact with after landing would be her…her…

 _Oh, no. That meant…_

"Y-you're…my _partner?!_ " She said in utter disbelief.

"What the hell did I just say about not yelling?" Qrow growled, getting even more irritated. "Yeah, rules are rules, pal. Like it or not-and believe me, I don't like it one bit-we're partners now. I was flying up in the sky with my Semblance, and I was _supposed_ to meet up with my sister when she gave her signal and be _her_ partner instead, but then I saw you getting your sorry ass kicked, and I just _had_ to feel sorry for you, so I came to help you out, and lucky me! Now I get to be stuck with you for the next four goddamn years!" He was practically yelling (hypocritically enough) at this point. He turned and stomped off. "I shoulda just left you to those bastards." He muttered under his breath.

Summer was silent. She was practically seething with anger, yet somehow, she couldn't bring herself to hate Qrow. Sure, he was an enormous jerk, but he'd still saved her. From what he'd said, he could have just left her to die, but he'd chosen not to. That meant he couldn't be so bad, right? Plus, he was no slouch in the combat department-he could handle that sword-scythe thing with excellent skill.

 _I don't like it either, Qrow. But I guess I'll have to put with you for now._ She sighed, made sure she had all her equipment, and followed her partner towards their destination.

* * *

Raven sat in the clearing, growing more impatient by the second. It had already been five minutes since she'd released the flare into the sky from her katana.

 _Strange. Brother should have made it by now._

Had he missed it? No, that was impossible. She was sure she'd made the signal big enough that anyone who was looking above the treeline could see it. Raven Branwen always took pride in doing exactly what she set out to do.

Maybe he'd ignored it and found someone else to be his partner. It wasn't out of the question. Could it be that her dear brother had finally reached that rebellious age?

 _No, that can't be it, either._ She thought dismissively. As far as she could tell, Qrow wasn't friendly enough with any of the other students for him to choose them over his own sister. Qrow had never been good at making friends-he was just too rude and crass to hold a civil conversation with anyone. So that was out of the question, as well.

 _Perhaps he's run into some danger?_ Raven couldn't imagine what, considering he was supposed to be in his bird form, flying safely above all the Grimm. _I suppose a Nevermore could have gotten him? But those things are too big and noisy for Brother to miss one coming for him. Besides, they don't normally attack creatures other than humans._ Still, her brother being in some sort of peril was the only plausible answer she could think of.

Raven sighed. She'd always believed that people had to look out for themselves-that if you couldn't defend yourself, you were probably better off dead, anyway. She'd come to Beacon in part to challenge that very belief-to see if maybe there _was_ some worth in aiding the weak and helpless. Of course, that hadn't been the only reason. In any case, if her brother really was in trouble, she'd just have to help him out.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to sense any sort of abnormality in her immediate area. Any sign of people in distress or danger. She could pick up some levels of fear nearby, but they were most likely students fending off some Grimm. Nothing too urgent, and certainly not her concern. She tried harder, straining to increase her field of perception. Still nothing.

All of a sudden, she felt a spike of adrenaline somewhere near her right. Not too far away, but it was far enough that she couldn't tell who it was coming from. _Better than nothing, I suppose._ She picked up her katana and swung it, creating a portal in front of her. She stepped in.

When she stepped out of her rift, she was standing behind a set of pine trees. In the clearing ahead, a familiar figure was fighting a gigantic Grimm. Specifically, a King Taijitu, a dangerous snake-shaped Grimm with two heads, each working independently of the other. Most young Huntsmen were recommended to avoid them at all costs.

Not Taiyang Xiao Long, though. The blonde student was deflecting all of the beast's attacks with relative ease, using his bare hands to fight back. The tattoos on his arms were glowing a brilliant icy-blue. _Ice-type Dust,_ Raven noted.

Her analysis of the young man had been correct. Rather than using a weapon, Taiyang fought using the Dust crystals that were fused into his own body, utilizing the physical boosts they provided to launch devastating attacks. Nowadays, people who could withstand having something as volatile as Dust injected directly into their bodies were few and far between. It wouldn't surprise her if Tai was the only student in the school capable of such a technique.

"Yaaaahhh!" Tai's fist glowed the same shade of icy-blue as his tattoos as he thrust it straight into the Taijitu's skull, knocking it to the ground. Before the thing could retaliate, he extended his palm forward, generating a large, sharp pillar of ice protruding from his hand, and plunged it down on the beast.

The thing gave one last hateful hiss at its opponent, and lay still.

 _Impressive._ Raven nodded approvingly. The boy was certainly talented at his craft.

"Phew!" Tai breathed a sigh of relief. "How'd you like that, stupid snake? That's what you get for messing with a badass like Taiyang Xiao Long, baby!"

 _It seems he's not very intelligent, though._ In his celebration, Tai had forgotten about the beast's second head, which was now slithering behind him, preparing to strike.

 _Here we go._ Raven leaped into the clearing and brought her katana down on the Grimm's head, killing it instantly. With both heads deceased, the Taijitu finally disintegrated into nothingness like any other Grimm. _For all its magnificence, it dies and fades away like all the rest._

Tai turned around, just now noticing her presence. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. Then:

"I could've handled it." Tai said sheepishly.

"You think so?" Raven smiled. "You must be quite skilled, then. You'll have plenty of opportunities to prove that skill to me…partner."

Tai smiled back. "I guess I will, my lovely."

"It's _Raven._ "

"Ahaha, right." Tai laughed. "Sorry about that. Come on, let's go."

* * *

While the students of Beacon fought for their lives and forged new relationships in the forest below, a single figure stood far above on the mountain, watching everything. It was really the perfect spot-they could see nearly all the students from where they stood, and their location was out of the view of both the headmaster and his secretary. Furthermore, it was out of the initiation's boundaries, so they wouldn't have to worry about being caught on camera.

 _This has all been just so easy._ The figure smiled to themselves. They hadn't figured the staff of the great Beacon Academy would be _this_ incompetent, but they were happy for it. And not just them, either, but the Atlesian military. That young colonel…whatever was his name again? He'd been so busy trying to further his own career that they'd been able to further their plan right under his very nose. It was only once the crime rate in the Kingdom had gotten utterly out of control that he'd noticed anything wrong, and by then it was far too late. They'd already gotten everything they wanted.

 _I could do with Atlas and Vale fussing over random incidents while the plan proceeds,_ the figure noted. _In the meantime, there's still one last thing to do before we move on to the next phase…_

The figure took something out of their pocket. A small, swirling mass of black matter swam around in the palm of their hand. They could hear faint growling coming from it. Disgusting as it was, this… _thing_ was the key to their next objective.

 _Remember the Grandmaster's orders,_ they told themselves. _Do not reveal yourself under any circumstances. Just carry out the mission, and nothing else._

The figure looked down at the sprawling forest, at the students who were scrambling around trying to reach their destination. _I'm running low on time, so let's get this over with. Just one target is fine. But who? Is there anyone in particular who could-_

The figure saw a lone student walking towards the east side of the forest, clearly lost. Their lips curled up in a sinister smile.

 _Ah yes, of course._ Him.

The figure muttered a set of words, and the black mass in their hands twitched briefly before transforming into a more identifiable shape-a small black rat with glowing red eyes. Snarling, it leaped down the mountain towards the forest below.

 _I suppose I'd better be on my way too,_ the figure thought to itself.

Moments later, a harmless young sparrow came flying around the side of the mountain, and perched itself where the figure had stood. The figure had vanished, not leaving a single trace that they had been there mere seconds ago.


	6. The First Battle

**Chapter 5: The First Battle**

Harriet walked carefully through the forest, occasionally glancing around to check for Grimm or other students. Nothing. Everything was eerily quiet. _Looks like everyone must be close to the destination. I should make my way there, too._

All of a sudden, her ears perked up, catching the sound of leaves rustling somewhere nearby. As a Faunus, Harriet had enhanced animal senses that surpassed those of most humans. Although she was primarily adept at agility due to being a rabbit-type Faunus, and couldn't see or hear as well as a cat Faunus, it was still enough for her to notice that something was very close by.

Instinctively, her feet began to twitch. She readied her weapon, preparing to fight if it was a Grimm approaching her.

However, her worries were unnecessary. A rather out-of-breath Heather came bursting out of a nearby bush, carrying her pistols. "Hahh, hahh," she gasped. "Alright, I think I lost them."

She looked up, noticing Harriet. "Oh, hello! You're that Faunus, Harriet Maroon, right?"

"Umm, yes, that's me." Harriet stammered, sheathing her gauntlets. "And you're, um, Heather Fox, aren't you? The Vacuo champion."

"That's me." She smiled, adjusting her spectacles. "I suppose now that we've properly met, it means we're partners, hmm? It's good to meet you, Harriet." She reached out her hand. Harriet took it reluctantly. "So what have you been up to since we all landed?"

Harriet gestured vaguely behind her. "There was a cave back there. I thought it looked important, so I went in to explore," she muttered. "There wasn't much in there, just a couple of Grimm."

"I see. Well, exploring the unknown is also a part of being a Huntress, isn't it?" Heather said comfortingly. "Anyway, shall we be off? If we're lucky, we may run into the others. You want to see that Summer girl again, don't you?"

Harriet nodded timidly. "Yeah…I guess that'd be nice."

"Then let's go." Heather turned and walked back the way she'd come. Harriet stood there in silence for a moment, frowning uncertainly at her new partner. She seemed distressed…almost afraid of something. Surely one of the best first-year students in the school wouldn't be so flustered from a few Grimm, would she? Had something else happened to her while she was alone in the forest?

Harriet shook her head. _It's probably nothing. Anyway, I should concentrate._ With that, she followed Heather into the bushes.

* * *

"You hear that?" Qrow asked.

Summer nodded. The pair stood silently for moment, looking around for the source of the noise. Suddenly, a large bird-type Grimm flew above their heads with an ear-piercing screech.

Qrow winced. "Great. So those stupid things are here, too. Let's hope some other poor sap has to deal with that thing before we do."

"Yeah," Summer nodded in agreement.

The two of them continued walking in a rather uneasy silence. Summer glanced up at Qrow, who was walking in front of her while holding his sword over his shoulder. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell he was very unhappy. _Well, we definitely got off on the wrong foot. Still, what exactly did I do wrong?_ She recalled Qrow's angry rant at having to become her partner. _I don't think I did anything that could have pissed him off so much._

Still, it wouldn't do for the two of them to have to argue like this all four years of their partnership. At some point, they'd have to open up to each other if they wanted to function as a team. Summer wasn't exactly Qrow's biggest fan, and she'd never been one to "open up" to others, but now was the time to discard her personal displeasures.

"You're really good with that sword." Summer spoke up, still walking. A compliment was probably the best way to start.

"…." There was a brief silence before Qrow replied, "Yeah, I guess I am."

 _Well, he's willing to chat, so that's something._ "It can change forms, right? I've never seen a sword do that before. I, um, think it's really cool."

Qrow turned in surprise. "Really? Most Huntsmen use weapons that have multiple forms. It's not exactly unique." Without stopping, he raised his sword over his head and changed it into its scythe form. "Mine isn't that crazy, really. It's a big-ass sword, it's a big-ass scythe." He retracted it back into a sword, only for the top layer to open up, revealing a built-in cannon. "And it's also a gun."

"Whoa…" Summer muttered. Regardless of what Qrow had said, the idea of weapons that could change into other forms was something very new to her. She began to wonder who else at Beacon had weapons that were more than what they seemed. "I think I like the scythe the best."

"Seriously?" Qrow seemed surprised. "I only ever really use it when I have to deal with something particularly dangerous. It's badass, yeah, and powerful as hell, but it's way too heavy and hard to handle, so I just stick with the sword."

Summer frowned. "But doesn't it weigh the same?"

"Well…" Qrow struggled to answer. It seemed that he'd genuinely never considered that fact. "Uh, well, yeah. I guess it does." He paused for a second, then said hesitantly, "Is your thing really just a normal bow? Nothing special at all?"

"I can use Dust to make it stronger, but other than that, yeah, it's just a bow." Summer took it out, and examining it, breathed a sigh of relief. _It's not damaged from that last fight. And I still have plenty of arrows and Dust crystals left._ "I didn't actually make it. It was the best model they had back at my old school, and they gave it to me as a gift after I graduated at the top of my archery class."

"Really? You were that good?" Qrow raised his eyebrows. "Huh. Maybe you aren't as weak as you look."

Summer winced. _I guess that's about as nice as he's gonna get,_ she thought resignedly. "Yeah, I'm alright. What about you? You must have done really well at whichever school you came from."

"I went to some small place in the countryside-nothin' too special." _Just like me,_ Summer noted. "I did pretty well, but…" Qrow's eyes darkened. "Sis was always the best at everything. She was a master and a genius. The two of us were-not to not sound cocky or anything-leagues beyond any of the other chumps who went there, but she was the number one, so only she got any real attention. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't compete with her."

"I see." _So, pretty much as I thought._ "You and Raven came from Atlas, right? She said so yesterday when we first met."

"Err…" Qrow seemed strangely hesitant to answer. "Well, kind of. It's a little more complicated than th-"

Before he could finish, a loud explosion shook the area. Red-and-black flames burst out of the trees where the noise had some from.

"What was that?" Summer yelled.

"Sounds like it came from around the destination." Qrow muttered. "I think I might know who that is. Hold on a sec, I'll check it out."

Suddenly, he disappeared into thin air. Or, at least, Summer thought he had, but looking up she saw a small black bird-a crow-flying towards the source of the sound. She remembered seeing the same bird back when they'd all been launched into the forest.

 _I get it, that's his Semblance. So that's how he found me._

About half a minute passed before Qrow returned, transforming back into his human form. "Grimm at the relic site!" He shouted. "Let's go! Sis is fighting them off, and your boyfriend's with her, too." Without waiting for her response, he ran off.

 _M-my "boyfriend"?! Does he mean Tai?_ "O-okay!" She readied her bow and followed him.

* * *

They saw the Grimm before they reached the site.

There were lots of them, far more than there had been when Summer had been attacked. Luckily, they hadn't noticed the pair running up from behind, so Summer and Qrow were able to kill quite a few of them before they noticed their presence.

Bursting into the clearing, they quickly saw the ruined temple where the relic pieces were gathered. They'd reached the destination. Unfortunately, that wasn't their priority at the moment. In front of the temple, dozens more Grimm were gathered, while Raven and Tai were defending themselves against a giant scorpion Grimm-a Deathstalker.

"Hiya!" Tai's tattoos were glowing red. He rammed his fists, which were glowing with flame-elemental Dust, at full force into the beast, making small cracks in its tough head. Raven leaped gracefully into the air, swinging her katana with excellent precision, slicing off the Grimm's stinger. The Deathstalker hissed in pain. Tai turned, noticing Summer and Qrow, and gave a brief wave before returning to his battle.

"Looks like they're doing pretty well!" Qrow shouted. "C'mon, let's take care of the rest!"

"Got it!" Summer began firing arrows at Beowolves before they could get too close, while Qrow cut up Creeps and Ursas left and right with his sword.

Summer was feeling rather confident in her abilities. Despite there being more Grimm than before, it was significantly easier with more people by her side. _So this is what it means to have teammates, huh?_

Meanwhile, Tai had landed a well-deserved final blow on the Deathstalker, crushing its forehead with a concentrated Aura punch. Grinning and fueled with adrenaline, he set his eyes on a nearby Beowolf and prepared to strike-only for someone else to decapitate it first.

"Hey, that was my kill!" he protested at Qrow.

"I didn't see your name on it, Blondie." He replied bluntly.

"Wait, _what_ did you just call me?" Tai stared at him in disbelief.

"Blondie. I couldn't be bothered to remember your name, so I'm just gonna call you that. M'kay?" Qrow responded without even looking at him. "Just leave 'em all to me, you'll just cramp my style."

Tai scowled. "Hey, you're that kid who insulted Summer in the locker room, right? You've got some nerve if you think she's going to be your partner after that."

Qrow shrugged. "Wasn't my idea. I just swooped in to save her after she almost, y'know, _died."_

Tai's eyed widened. "Wait, really?"

"Don't believe me? Ask her. I was actually gonna be Sis' partner, but it looks like she's stuck with you, huh? Pity."

"Heh! Trying to trash-talk me? Don't underestimate me… _Birdy."_

Qrow froze. "W-w-what did you just say?" He stammered.

"That's what your classmates always called you back when you were a kid, right?" Tai grinned evilly. "Your sis told me everything about the two of you growing up on our way here-and I do mean _everything."_

"K-kh…" Qrow's face became white as a sheet. "Wh-what exactly did she-"

A loud growling interrupted him. Qrow and Tai realized that in their bickering they'd been surrounded by Grimm. An awkward silence followed.

"Hey Blondie." Qrow said, readying his blade. "Bet I can kill more than you."

"In your dreams, Birdy." Tai grinned. "And if you lose that bet, I'm going to spill your dirty kiddie secrets to the entire school."

Qrow smirked. "You're on, pal." With that, they charged into the fray.

 _They seem to be getting along,_ Summer noted with mild amusement as she continued to shoot down Grimm. On the other side of the temple, Raven was cutting down Ursas with ease.

 _Qrow wasn't kidding,_ Summer realized. _She's a master-a genius. I've never seen anyone fight as well as she does._

She heard a growl from very close by. _Oh crap! I got distracted._ Panicking, she raised her bow to defend herself from the Beowolf's attack.

 _Bam!_ A gunshot rang out, and the Beowolf slumped over, dead.

"Sorry we're late!" Heather came running into the clearing, with Harriet close behind. Heather immediately began firing bullets into the hordes of Grimm, while Harriet unsheathed her claw gauntlets and began slashing at some nearby Creeps. She noticed Summer, and smiled shyly at her. Summer smiled back. _Just as I thought, she's stronger than she looks._ Regaining her composure, she readied her bow once more.

Before long, they'd nearly cleared out all of the Grimm. Suddenly, a high-pitched, familiar screech rang out through the forest, and the giant Grimm bird flew into view of the group.

"An avian-species Grimm-a Nevermore." Heather murmured, reloading her pistols. "Rare, but deadly. Let's use teamwork to take it down." Summer gulped, but nodded.

The Nevermore was now flying straight towards them. Raven fidgeted briefly with the Dust slots on her katana's handle, before firing a black-and-red beam of Dust energy at the beast. Unfortunately, despite landing a direct hit, the Nevermore only seemed to become more enraged. Cawing madly, it continued its descent.

Everyone dodged out of the way as it neared the ground. "We need more firepower!" Heather yelled. Using her spectacles, she quickly gauged the bird's weak points and began firing at them. Harriet loaded an Aura Capsule into her gauntlet and launched a powerful laser beam. Summer fired as many Dust-infused arrows as she could spare. Qrow transformed his sword into its gun form and bombarded the Nevermore with bullets. The Nevermore flew wildly around the area, dodging as best as it could.

All of their attacks began to slow the beast down, but it wasn't quite enough. Screeching, it prepared for another dive attack.

"Hey, everyone." Tai spoke up suddenly. "Can all of you get behind me for a moment? Get as close as possible."

"Huh?" Qrow stared at him. "What's this all about?"

"Just do it!" Reluctantly. Qrow obeyed. Summer, Raven, Heather and Harriet also stepped closer to him.

Tai breathed. "Ok, that should be good." He moved into a battle stance, grinning. "Now prepare for awesomeness."

He closed his eyes and focused. Suddenly, his body began glowing. The young man was practically radiating energy.

"W-what is this…power?" Summer asked, awestruck.

"Oh, I see! Quite impressive." Heather smiled approvingly.

Raven nodded. "Taiyang Xiao Long's Semblance. When others are in his close proximity, his Aura increases in power. The more individuals he has supporting him, the stronger his attacks become."

The Nevermore was closer than ever now. It opened its beaked mouth and prepared to strike.

"Hrooooooh….HRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Tai yelled, his fist meeting the bird's face.

There was an ear-splitting explosion of golden energy as his attack made contact. The Nevermore was completely obliterated by the impact alone, and disintegrated. Several trees in Tai's direction were knocked clean over. There was a brief silence. "W-wow…" Harriet muttered in awe.

Summer nodded in agreement. Tai was certainly powerful. With a single blow, he'd destroyed the Nevermore like it was nothing. His Semblance was really impressive, too.

"Well," Qrow said, trying to remain composed but clearly awestruck as well. "That was something. I guess you win this one…Tai."

Summer glanced at Tai thoughtfully, remembering something he'd said when they'd first met. When Summer had explained her reason for attending Beacon.

" _Not having to rely on anybody else…I see. That's a pretty good reason,"_ he'd said with an unusually serious expression.

And now it turned out his Semblance relied entirely on having other people to support him. Summer couldn't help but feel the two things were connected somehow.

"It seems that that's done with." Raven spoke up. "The rest of the Grimm appear to have retreated. I think it is best that we finish what we came here to do." _Oh right, the relics,_ Summer thought.

As Ozpin had instructed, each pair took a relic from the temple. Summer and Qrow took one that looked like the head of a small horse. Looking at Tai and Raven, Summer noted that their relic looked the same. Heather and Harriet took a relic that had the shape of a castle. There were spaces in the spots where the relics were placed; it seemed other students had already reached the destination before them.

"Phew!" Tai sighed. "That sure felt good. Good play, partner…" he said, grinning at Raven, "…Summer," he continued, flashing a thumbs-up at her, "…and Birdy." He smiled hesitantly at Qrow.

"Please don't call me that." He muttered.

"Sorry." Tai smiled sheepishly. "You're pretty good with that sword…scythe…whatever the heck it is, huh? The sword's especially cool."

Qrow smiled back. "I do my best. Y'know, Summer actually thought the scythe was the coolest one."

Tai raised his eyebrows. "Seriously? It just looks way too impractical to use, if you ask me."

"I know, right? Wonder what she was thinking." Qrow grinned. "So, um…can you _not_ spread my, uh, unsavoury childhood memories to everyone at Beacon?"

Tai smirked. "We'll see about that, Qrow. Anyhow, as a token of respect to your badassery, I'll forgive you for being a jerk…at least for now." He held out his hand for a fist-bump. Hesitantly, Qrow accepted it.

"Are we all done here?" Heather asked. Everyone nodded. "Alright then. Let's head back to the cli-"

"Not so fast."

A new voice rang out. The group turned around to see a young man with black hair, bushy eyebrows and a yellow robe walking towards them with a royal sceptre in hand.

Jin.

Upon seeing the bully, Harriet yelped in fear and hid behind Heather.

Summer felt a rush of nausea, seeing the bully from yesterday approaching them. He had his usual unpleasant grin, but something seemed different about it…

"Jin Shi-Huang?" Heather stared at him in surprise. "When did you get here? Do you not have a partner yet?"

"Shut up. I'm not here to talk to any of you." Jin sneered, and pointed his sceptre in Summer's direction. "I'm here for _you_ , lady."

"Me?" Summer asked, shocked.

"That's right. You haven't forgotten yesterday, right? We never finished our duel…thanks to that rotten bitch over there." He spat at Raven. "But now, nothing's gonna get between me…and my prey. I'm gonna teach you a lesson in respect…that you'll never forget!"

"You…" Tai stared at him, furious. "Just let it go, won't you? Now's not the time to pick a fight! You'll just get marks off for attacking a student! Are you really that stupid?"

Summer hesitated, then spoke up. "Hey guys…is it just me, or does something about Jin seem…off?"

"I don't see anything different." Tai growled. "As far as I can tell, he's still as much of a jackass as he was yesterday."

Qrow shook his head. "No…Summer's right. I can't really tell what, but…" He turned to Raven. She nodded.

"Yes, Brother. I can sense it…something is wrong. I feel…an unnatural presence around that boy." She turned to Summer. "Be on your guard."

Summer nodded. She could now see what the problem was. Jin's movements…the way he walked…it seemed unnatural-forced, even.

As if someone was controlling him.

* * *

On top of Beacon Cliff, Ozpin glanced at his Scroll. Several students had already returned from their initiation, but he paid them no attention.

A few minutes ago, Glynda had drawn in a sharp breath and said: "Sir-!"

"Hmmm?" Ozpin had replied. "What is it?"

"One of the students…Jin Shi-Huang. He's being…"

Ozpin had looked over at her Scroll. On it, he could see Jin wandering alone through the forest. Behind him was a small black rat-like creature. Suddenly, the creature dissolved into a thick black substance and entered the young man's body. Jin shuddered for a moment, then continued walking as before.

"Is that…" Glynda muttered. "Sir, could this be-"

Ozpin nodded gravely. "It is. I know all too well what that creature is. It seems our enemy is here."

"Then we should-"

"No, Glynda. We will do nothing."

"But sir-"

"Please understand, Glynda. If we break tradition and directly interfere with the initiation, it will only cause confusion-exactly what the enemy wants. I have reason to believe that, at this moment, Mr. Huang is not in any serious danger. And so, for now we shall simply observe."

"…Understood." Glynda looked unhappy, but she had not furthered the argument.

And now, Ozpin stood there, watching as Jin drew his weapon once more on Summer Rose and her companions. He, too, could clearly notice the changes in the young man's behaviour. He, more than any other man, had plenty of experience with noticing when people were acting differently.

Yet even he was not certain how this scenario would play out. Even so, he'd chosen to have faith, and would continue to do so.

"Now, Summer Rose," he murmured. "What will you do?"


	7. The Finest Team

**Chapter 6: The Finest Team**

"Well?" Jin sneered. "If you're all done talking, how about you stand aside and let me take care of business, hmm?"

Summer glared at him. There was no more doubt in her mind-something was seriously wrong with him. Jin was an unsavoury person, it was true, but she didn't think he was the type to endanger his own reputation as a Huntsman just to settle a petty grudge. Whatever the case, Summer had a sinking feeling she wouldn't be getting out without a fight.

Behind everyone, Harriet muttered something quietly under her breath. Summer could just make out the words "Don't hurt me."

 _Poor thing._ Summer felt her resolve increasing as she remembered how she'd stood up for Harriet yesterday. She spoke up.

"Okay, Jin. I don't know what's gotten into you, but it looks like you're not going to leave us alone," she said, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I accept your challenge. Let's finish what we started."

"Summer, no!" Tai reached out to stop her. "Don't fall for his bullsh-"

"It's ok, pal," Qrow growled. "She's made her decision, so let her handle it."

"But…"

"It's important for a Huntress to never back down from a challenge, no?" Raven chipped in. "Personally, I have no desire to intervene this time. I wish to see how she deals with this situation."

"And in the meantime we'll observe the idiot." Qrow added. "Something's definitely up with him, so it'll be our job to find out what. Got it?"

Reluctantly, Tai conceded. "Fine. But the second something goes wrong, I'm helping her out."

Heather squinted at Jin through her glasses. "Hmmm…physically, he seems perfectly normal." She turned to Summer. "If it helps, I can analyze his weak points for you."

Summer shook her head. "No, it's fine. I think I can do this by myself." That wasn't entirely true. She was scared out of her mind. But at the same time, she didn't want to feel weak and have to rely on help from others. That was why she'd become a Huntress, after all.

Jin smiled. "Well then…let's start." With that, he charged.

He was faster than Summer had expected. She barely dodged his strike in time. Before Jin could turn back around, Summer fired several arrows at his back. They bounced harmlessly off his Aura. Swearing, he shook his sceptre, causing it to change form. _Another multi-part weapon!_

The top of the sceptre opened to reveal a small green jewel-a jade. Jin pointed the weapon at Summer, and began firing green energy bolts. _Wind-type Dust!_ Summer tried to dodge, but true to their element, the beams were extremely fast. The last one hit her square in the stomach. "Ugh!" she grunted. Her Aura had recharged since it had been depleted earlier, but with that hit she could feel it decreasing rapidly. _Focus. Don't let him overpower you!_ She began firing more arrows at him.

Smirking, Jin flipped a switch on his sceptre, and the jewel shot out a single long beam of green light, changing the weapon into a beam sword. Swiftly, he deflected her arrows. Yelling, he charged again at Summer.

Gritting her teeth, Summer pulled a dark-brown Dust crystal-Earth type Dust-and inserted it into one of her arrows. The arrow immediately hardened. With her makeshift sword, she parried Jin's blows as best as she could. Close-range combat was always a weakness of hers, but she wasn't going to let that hold her down.

 _Swish. Clang._ The two of them met blow-for-blow several times before Summer began to feel overwhelmed. Jumping back, she loaded the arrow into her bow and fired. It impacted Jin's sceptre, generating a blast that knocked him off his feet.

"Tch!" He growled. "Guess I have to take you more seriously." He raised his sceptre, which was now back in its base form, and plunged it into the ground. The earth began to rumble loudly.

On the sidelines, Tai stumbled. "What's this?" he yelled.

Qrow's eyes narrowed. "Looks like he decided to use his Semblance."

Suddenly, cracks appeared were Summer was standing. With a panicked yelp, she leapt out of the way as the ground split open. _His Semblance is earth manipulation!_

The ground beneath Jin began to shake as well. The small circle of land where he stood rose up, until he was standing at least fifty metres above her. Now having the height advantage, he fired more energy beams at Summer.

 _Don't think you've won just because you've got the high ground!_ Summer dodged the beams and fired her arrows at Jin, who quickly switched to beam sword-mode and deflected them. All of a sudden, Summer felt something grabbing her by the ankles. "Huh?" She looked down.

A pair of hands made of dirt had emerged from the ground and seized her. She was pinned down.

"Nowhere to run now, lady!" Jin whooped. He fired more beams. Desperate, Summer launched some arrows in an attempt to intercept them mid-air, but several attacks still hit her. She felt the rush of pain as her Aura depleted even further. There wasn't much of it left. Thankfully, she'd also managed to shake free of the dirt-hands, and was ready to come up with a counter-attack.

 _Okay, so as long as I'm on the ground, I'll be at Jin's mercy,_ she thought. _So…_

She took out an ice-type Dust crystal. It was her last one, so she'd have to make it count. She loaded it into her bow. Then, she leapt into the air and aimed downward.

As the arrow hit the ground, a large portion of the clearing became encased in ice. Summer landed safely on it, while struggling to keep her balance. _I'll need to be more careful now, but at least I won't have to worry about his Semblance._ Before Jin realized why his Semblance wasn't working, she fired more arrows at him, and this time he wasn't fast enough to deflect them. "Argh!" he struggled to remain on his platform. He sneered at her. "You think you're clever, huh? Let's see if you can handle _this!"_

As he spoke, the ground rose up all around the area that Summer had covered in ice, surrounding her. Jin smirked. "You can't escape from me now, lady! Now, I can finish you with my next move!" He swung his sceptre, which began to glow with energy. It seemed he was concentrating all of his Aura onto his next strike.

Summer realized that she'd been cornered. She struck Jin with more arrows, until she had nearly run out, but they simply bounced off of him. _Does he still have that much Aura left?_ From the amount of energy Jin was giving off, his attack looked like it would impact the entire area she was enclosed in. And Summer was sure nothing she had would be able to block it.

In other words…she'd lost.

"Hraaah!" Jin leapt off his platform, holding his sceptre above his head, ready to strike…

…when suddenly, his eyes widened and he slumped over in midair. He crash-landed right in front of Summer, unconscious. The ground began to shift back to the way it was before.

"Is he…" Tai looked at Jin in confusion. "What just happened to him?"

"He just…collapsed?" Qrow seemed just as bewildered.

"All of his vitals just… _dropped_ all of a sudden…" Heather murmured. "He's still alive, but…"

Raven drew in a sharp breath. "Everyone-look!"

Jin's body had begun to shudder. Suddenly, he vomited out a strange black fluid. Eventually, it leaked out from his nose and ears as well.

"Holy crap, that is disgusting as hell." Qrow exclaimed. "What even _is_ that?"

The fluid began to merge into a singular entity. Within seconds, it had morphed from a shapeless mass of matter into a strange rat-like creature. Without hesitating, Raven leapt at it with her katana, but the thing was too fast. With a snarl, it ran away into the forest.

"Was that a _Grimm?"_ Tai asked in disbelief.

"It looks like it, but…" Heather seemed dumfounded as well. "It doesn't look like any Grimm in the Hunter's Encyclopedia. Even with my glasses I…couldn't get a single read on it."

"I'm going to go after it!" Qrow yelled, changing into a bird and following the thing into the trees.

"M-me too! I'll help!" Harriet, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly ran with her rabbit-like speed after Qrow before anyone could stop her.

"...That's his Semblance, huh? Well, that sure explains the heck out of the name 'Birdy'." Tai said after the two of them had run off. "So, while they deal with that, let's check to see if this dimwit is ok."

Tai, Raven and Heather joined Summer in inspecting Jin's body, trying not to slip on the ice. The young man seemed to be breathing normally. He was snoring rather loudly.

"I'm almost tempted to draw a moustache on his face just to piss him off." Tai joked.

"Please don't." said Raven. "It seems that strange presence I noted earlier had vanished. That rat Grimm must have been the source."

"So…it _was_ a Grimm, then?"

"I'm afraid I did not get a close enough look. For brevity's sake, however, we will classify it as such until we have evidence to the contrary. As for you…" She turned to Summer.

"Me?" Summer asked.

"Yes. Your fighting skills are surprisingly adequate. I had assumed from your appearance and simplistic weapon that combat was not your strong suit. However, your actions these past two days have proven that you may have what it takes to be a Huntress after all. In fact, I believe you underestimate yourself." She flashed her a quick smile before her gaze turned serious. "That being said, you still lack polish. Just now, you were about to lose. You could feel it, couldn't you? I don't believe I need to warn you that if you do not train yourself to the bone during your time at Beacon, you will never be able to graduate."

Her words were harsh, but not insulting. If anything, Summer felt better. "You don't have to worry about me," she smiled at Raven. "I think I'll manage somehow. Thanks anyway, Raven. I look forward to working together with you someday." _She sure is scary when criticizing you, though._

Raven smiled back. "And I you, Summer. I'll look after your friend Tai and make sure he doesn't do anything too foolish. I promise."

"Hey, I heard that!" Tai protested. Raven ignored him, still smiling.

"If there will be no more interruptions," Heather spoke up. "I think we should make our way back to the Cliff now. We can explain everything to Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch."

"What about Qrow and Harriet?" Summer asked. "And we can't just leave Jin here either."

"Brother can handle himself." Raven replied. "He can get back to the Cliff by himself without issue."

"You don't have to worry about Harriet, either," Heather added. "She may be shy, but from what I've seen she's more than capable of looking after herself. As for Jin, his vitals seem stable now, so he will wake up by himself soon. I don't think he's in any danger of being attacked by Grimm, either."

"In that case, I guess we should go." Tai said. Summer nodded in agreement.

The group packed up their equipment and relics and headed back towards the Cliff.

* * *

In his bird form, Qrow scanned the area below for any trace of the rat Grimm. He noticed a sudden motion near a tree. _There!_ He flew after it. _You're not gettin' away!_

The rat, noticing it was being chased, began to speed up. Qrow was struggling to keep up with it. _C'mon, c'mon, don't lose it, or Sis will never let you hear the end of it!_

The rat changed direction. It seemed to be heading for the nearby mountain range. Upon reaching the base of the mountain, it suddenly paused. _What the hell? Why'd it stop?_

Snarling softly, the creature dissolved back into a gaseous fluid and began flying up the mountain. _I've never seen any Grimm do that before. Just what_ is _that thing?_

Qrow flew up, following the black mass as it ascended. The thing reached a small ledge in the middle of the mountain where someone was standing, hand outstretched. It shrank into a small whirling ball of matter as the figure put it safely in their pocket.

 _Who is_ that _?!_ Qrow tried to get a closer look at the figure as he approached. The figure was wearing a mask that covered their whole face. The mask was completely white, except for two black dots that were supposed to represent their eyes, and a single streak of blood that flowed from one eye down to the bottom of the mask. Behind the mask, they had long auburn hair that flowed down their back. _A woman?_ Qrow thought. Other than their pale-skinned hands, all the figure's physical features were hidden by a long black robe. On the robe was a peculiar symbol. Qrow squinted. It appeared to resemble a sword impaled through a pig's head.

Suddenly, the figure spoke. "Well now, I believe the experiment was a success." Their voice sounded deep and masculine, but it was clearly distorted by the mask; most likely it was nothing close to their real voice. They glanced straight at the crow which was circling around, trying to look inconspicuous. "Wouldn't you agree, Qrow Branwen?"

Qrow's heart leapt. This person knew he was there. They knew what his Semblance was. But how? Had they seen him use it? Well, there was no point hiding, then. Instinctively, he transformed back into a human and leapt at the masked man with his sword. They dodged the attack easily, and struck at Qrow with a powerful kick.

"Gah!" The masked man was strong. Qrow was knocked painfully onto the ledge. His attacker landed next to him, and leaned close to his ear. "I will let you go this time, Qrow Branwen. After all, Buck and the Grandmaster have big plans for you…and Raven, of course. But try to defeat me a second time and I won't be so generous. After all…your sister is the one we _really_ need-not you." The masked man turned and leapt off the side of the mountain.

"Wait! Damn you!" Qrow growled, getting up and looking over the ledge. The mystery man was gone. _Where the hell did he go?_

Qrow pondered what the masked man had said. "Buck…and the Grandmaster?" he muttered. "Never heard of them before."

" _After all…your sister is the one we_ really _need-not you."_

What the hell did that mean? What did they "need" Raven for? Qrow wondered if the masked man had said that simply to provoke him-to imply to him that he wasn't as valuable as his sister. _Nice try, pal, but that won't work._ He couldn't deny that he was jealous of Raven's abilities, but he'd long accepted that he'd probably never surpass her.

 _Whatever that guy was saying, it's probably best that I report back to the others. Knowing Sis, she already told them to leave without me._

"Qrow! Is that you?" A voice rang out from far below.

Qrow looked down in surprise. It was that rabbit Faunus, Harriet Maroon. She seemed to be out of breath.

"Hey, Harriet!" he yelled down at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I…hahh…I…also came to chase that thing!" she panted. "I thought I saw it go into that big cave over there, and I…hahh…went in to look, but it wasn't…hahh…there. Did you…hahh…find it?"

 _She must have mistaken a Creep for it or something._ "Uh, kind of. Anyway, we should head back. I'll explain everything there."

He turned into a bird and flew towards Beacon Cliff. Harriet ran after him.

* * *

Outside the door to the stage, Summer fidgeted anxiously.

Upon their return, they had explained to Ozpin and Goodwitch what had happened. Their reaction had been surprisingly subdued. They'd simply nodded and told them that they'd take care of the situation, and to get back to Beacon for their team formation ceremony. _They probably saw everything on their Scrolls,_ Summer realized.

According to a school nurse, Jin had woken up shortly after the incident with no memory of what had happened; the last thing he remembered was getting lost in the Emerald Forest. Peeping through the door, Summer saw he was on the stage with three young men that she didn't recognize. _That's his team, huh?_

"Jin Shi-Huang, Augustus Clover, David Stone, and Edward Crown." Ozpin announced as the four of them lined up on the stage. "The four of you retrieved the White Bishop pieces. From this day forward you will work together as Team JADE (jade), led by Jin Shi-Huang." The audience applauded.

"Our turn now." Heather said cheerfully. "Come on, everyone." Her teammates, consisting of Harriet and two boys, walked through the door onto the stage.

"Heather Fox, Harriet Maroon, Torrence Greene, and Regal Swanwing." Ozpin announced. "The four of you retrieved the White Rook pieces. From this day forward you will work together as team HTHR (heather), led by Heather Fox." More applause.

"Now it's us!" said Tai. "Let's get out there and look awesome!"

"Big deal, it's just a stupid ceremony, anyway." Qrow yawned, but he looked rather nervous. Raven seemed quietly interested in what was about to happen.

Summer gulped. _Qrow's right, it's just a ceremony. No need to worry._ The four of them stepped out and lined up on the stage.

"Summer Rose, Qrow Branwen, Raven Branwen, and Taiyang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the White Knight pieces. From this day forward you will work together as team STRQ (stark), led by Summer Rose." The audience applauded again.

 _Wait, seriously? I'm leader?_ Summer could hardly believe it. She'd been sure that Raven would have been made leader.

"Congrats, Summer!" Tai whooped. "Guess I'm going to be your loyal stooge from now on, eh?"

"Heh! Don't think you can order _me_ around! I _am_ your partner, after all!" Qrow said with a grin.

"Well done." Raven smiled. "I look forward to working with you."

Summer nodded at them all. Strangely, she didn't feel nervous anymore. She actually felt as if she could handle this responsibility. She glanced at Ozpin. As always, he was gazing at her with a suspicious intensity. Now, she met his gaze confidently. She was a leader now, and she'd do everything she could to make her new team the finest in all of Beacon.

Summer Rose was ready for anything.

* * *

"So?" Glynda asked. They were in Ozpin's office after the ceremony.

"It's as we suspected." Ozpin murmured. "That symbol on the perpetrator's garment…it matches with the insignia left at nearly all of the crimes that occurred recently in Atlas."

"And what of the names Qrow mentioned?"

"Mmm, I believe the person they called the 'Grandmaster' is indeed our enemy. Most likely our perpetrator chose that title for them."

"So they're finally making their move."

"Their 'move' began a long time ago, Glynda. This is merely another phase in their plan. Until we can be certain what their current objective is…we must not act rashly."

"Very well. And this Buck person, sir?"

"After searching through the records, I did find one possible suspect bearing that name. A middle-aged canine Faunus residing in Vale. His full name is Timber 'Buck' London." On his Scroll, he brought up the man's picture.

Glynda frowned. "You think a Faunus could be involved in this?"

"It is a mere possibility. Admittedly, his background appears quite innocent. Mr. London is a member of a small Faunus-governed organization that oversees human-Faunus treaties. Let's see…" he scrolled down. "Ah yes. Its name is the White Fang."

* * *

" _Yes. The experiment went off without a hitch."_

"…"

" _Yes, it seems directly assuming control over the target's movements uses up their Aura faster. That being said, it still served its purpose. They saw me, as planned, but they did not discover my identity."_

"…"

" _No. They suspect nothing. Well, that's not entirely true. They believe we are involved, but they lack conclusive evidence. I plan to keep it that way."_

"…"

" _Are you sure, Grandmaster? Surely I could help with-"_

"…"

"… _As you wish. I'll lay low until the Vytal Festival. Anything you would like taken care of before then?"_

"…"

" _The girl? Summer Rose? I don't quite understand…"_

"…"

"… _Very well. I will observe her. With my position, I think that will be a rather easy task."_

"…"

" _Understood, Grandmaster. I will have results for you very soon."_

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **And that concludes the "introduction arc" of my Team STRQ fanfiction! Hope you enjoyed what I've written so far, I plan to make this a long one!**

 **I've already got the general storyline for this entire story, which I plan to split into four "volumes" (hence "Volume 1: The Silver Will). Basically, if RWBY Volume 4 starts before "Stark" is finished (which will probably happen) I'll end up writing completely against canon when most of my interpretations of the characters are rendered null. And like RWBY, this is gonna get much, much darker down the line. There will be more fight scenes-hopefully better written than this one! If you're okay with all that, then I hope you continue reading! Don't forget to leave a review, criticism is always appreciated!**

 **P.S. I'll probably take a break from this one and go back to work on my other RWBY fic, Road to Hell. It's all about the villains, so check it out if you haven't!**


	8. An Ordinary Day

**Chapter 7: An Ordinary Day**

It was midnight, but the streets of Vale were still filled with people going about their usual business-some shopping, others conversing with close friends, and others still hard at work at late-night jobs. The area near the docks was almost completely empty, however, save for one of the old warehouses where the boats and other materials were stored. Inside, a single figure stood within the rotting walls, glancing at a document.

From behind, he seemed like any other forty-year old man, with his large build, a mahogany-coloured business suit, and graying brown hair. However, from the front this was not the case. In addition to his wrinkled, scarred face, stout nose and large, dark-brown eyes, he had two pairs of enormous, sharp fangs protruding from his mouth.

This man's name was Timber London, an executive of the White Fang Treaty Oversight Committee in Vale. Everyone he knew called him 'Buck', after his embarrassingly large teeth that marked his status as a mere animal-a Faunus. But now, it was no longer an embarrassment to him. If anything, it was a symbol of pride. Of power.

He spat in disgust at the paper he was holding. It read "Kingdom to Set Land Rights near Patch for Faunus Settlement". He'd seen this scenario time and time again. He knew all too well how it would end. Broken promises, disappointment, and empty, lifeless apologies. How could the Faunus still stomach this injustice even after the atrocities of the Great Faunus War?

"Master Buck!" A voice rang out from outside.

"Come in, lad, and keep your voice down." He responded. His voice was raspy and unsettling to listen to, like the age-old fear of nails grating on a chalkboard.

A young Faunus opened the door carefully and walked in. He stroked his cat ears nervously as he said:

"It sounds like the plan in Beacon is going well. Have you had any support from the White Fang?"

"Bah. No matter what I say, the fools won't listen to reason. Weaklings, the lot of 'em. They have no fire, no fight in their hearts. But they will have, very soon." He coughed, then steadied himself. "Perhaps it's time to prepare for the next phase. It's time I exercised these old bones."

"Err…" The Faunus hesitated for a second. "I don't think that'll be…well…possible, sir."

Buck scowled. "What in Frith's name are you saying, lad?"

"…Apparently, we're supposed to stay quiet until the Vytal Festival. According to the boss-"

" _I_ am your boss." Buck glared at him. "The plan proceeds when _I_ say it does."

"But R said-"

"To _**hell**_ with what R says _!_ " Buck snarled. "That masked bastard cannot order around a veteran of the Faunus War! I don't give a _damn_ how many fancy toys he supplies us with-I am the leader of this revolution, and _**no one else.**_ Am I understood, lad?"

The Faunus nodded, terrified. "Y-yes sir. I-I'll start preparations immediately!" He got up and ran out of the warehouse as fast as he could.

Buck was left alone. He glanced at the paper still in his hands. He felt like retching in disgust.

"To hell with all of you," he growled, and tore it into bits.

* * *

"Well, leader?" Raven asked. "What shall we do today?"

Summer sighed, fidgeting with her pen. She wasn't feeling really up to organizing a schedule for her team right now. She glanced irritably at Qrow and Tai, who were arguing over something trivial.

"...And I'm telling you, it's 'the best defense is a good offense!' That's how the saying goes!" Qrow growled.

"As if! Everyone with a brain knows it's the other way around!" Tai retorted.

"Where the hell did you hear that?"

"Uhhh, from one of those sci-fi shows I watch? There's this badass scene where the guy goes 'You know what they say-the best offense is a good defense!' and throws this shield thing around the bad guys! Then the bad guys shoot at the shield and the bullets bounce back and kill them all!"

Qrow scoffed. "That sounds really dumb."

" _You're_ dumb!"

Summer groaned, holding her head. They'd been debating this exact topic for an hour already. Taking her mind off their idiocy, she looked around Team STRQ's new dormitory.

They'd just moved in, but it already felt like home. They'd unpacked all their belongings and had placed them throughout the room as they saw fit. Qrow had a stack of violent video games that Summer found quite distasteful piled up on his bed. Tai's collection of Grimm-VS-Hunters actions figures and board games were scattered willy-nilly throughout the room (Summer dreaded the day she'd have to tidy them up). Raven had mounted her replicas of ornate-looking weapons and Huntsman posters on the wall, and she had the entire 30-volume collection of "Freezing Night, Burning Love" (Summer hadn't dared to ask what they were about) stacked neatly on the bookshelf. As for Summer, she didn't have much of her own personal treasures. She had some blank books and writing tools for practicing her writing, but that was about it. That thought made her somewhat sad.

No one had talked about the incident in the forest since they'd returned. Qrow had apparently seen the individual who'd been responsible and had reported it to Ozpin, who'd asked him not to tell anyone else-even his new teammates.

Summer gritted her teeth. No one had gotten hurt back in the forest, but the person responsible was still out there. If she wanted to become a strong Huntress, wasn't it her duty to bring such wrongdoers to justice?

Meanwhile, Tai had wasted no time in whispering some of the stories Raven had allegedly told him into Summer's ear while Qrow wasn't looking. For the sake of maintaining her personal image of her partner, she'd chosen not to believe any of them.

"Tai, please, I'm busy. I don't think my brain can take much more of this," she'd pleaded while helping Raven unpack her books (and averting her eyes from the covers).

"Aww, come on!" Tai had responded, enjoying himself far too much. "I've got a great one about Qrow and a jewelry store…"

And that was how it had went. Team STRQ was certainly an unusual bunch. They weren't exactly what Summer had expected her teammates to be like. She certainly hadn't expected that she'd be asked to _lead_ them.

Still, it was nice to know she finally had people she could call friends, comrades she could count on while at the same time being able to stand up for herself. All things considered, everything had gone as well as it possibly could.

"You know, I believe it's about time for our next class." Raven said, snapping her back to reality.

"Ah!" Summer checked the time and realized she was right. "We'll be late! Come on, guys!" Without waiting for them, she and Raven ran out the door towards the History classroom.

Qrow and Tai got up reluctantly.

"I still think having a metal arm is way cooler than being a stupid computer program." Qrow said as he walked out.

"Sure, man. Keep living alone in that weird world of yours." Tai replied, following him.

* * *

"…And it is believed that the first known contact between humans and Faunus occurred shortly after the resolution of the Great War, are there any questions so far?"

Summer tried desperately to focus, but Professor Oobleck simply had the mouth of…well, a twenty-eight year old teacher far too obsessed with coffee for his own good. Not that he was a bad teacher-quirks aside, he was very knowledgeable for his young age. Most of the teachers at Beacon were the old, battle-scarred veterans Summer had expected, but there had been several exceptions-Oobleck and Professor Port, the jovial, pot-bellied Grimm Studies teacher, who had graduated from the same team not too long ago and had begun teaching just this year, and Professor Goodwitch, who taught combat despite looking young enough to pass off for a student herself. _Beacon sure is full of talented people…_ Summer thought.

Raven sat beside her, studiously jotting down notes in frighteningly neat handwriting. She took a glance at Summer's nearly blank page, gave a disapproving sigh, and went back to writing. Qrow and Tai were leaning back in their seats, bored out of their minds. Qrow hadn't even bothered to change into his school uniform.

"I think you should write about the motives behind the Great War," Heather suggested from Summer's other side. "That seems like it would be on the test."

"Yeah, thanks." Summer said graciously.

"Now, I'm sure everyone is aware of the discrimination the Faunus faced at the hands of humanity." Oobleck continued when no one asked any questions. "This cruel prejudice lasted for many years and came to a head around ten years ago with the Faunus Rights Revolution."

Summer nodded. She'd heard of that. She was seven when that war had started. The area she'd lived in then hadn't been affected by it, but she'd still heard vague ideas about what had happened. Riots in the streets of the Kingdom, followed by terrorist attacks. It had gone on like that for three years before peace had been restored.

"The Faunus population decided to take matters into their own hands when the humans decided to force them all onto the small island of Menagerie." He gestured to a map of the area, and continued while chugging his coffee (somehow): "They were rightfully infuriated and decided to rebel against this unfair delegation." He brought up several slides portraying Faunus holding protest signs in the streets of all four Kingdoms, fighting back against police officers who were beating them and civilians who threw stones at them.

It was a truly awful sight. Summer looked beside Heather, where Harriet sat, hands shaking. _She was seven when it started, too. It must have affected her deeply._ Heather gave her friend a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Oobleck's lecture continued. "The situation only truly turned to war after the humans, in their attempt to quell the rioters, accidentally caused the death of a young Faunus girl. Her death was the final spark that ignited the Faunus War."

He brought up a picture of the ill-fated girl. She was smiling at the camera, and her fox tail could be seen in the back. She couldn't have been more than twelve. Summer noted that the girl had really beautiful hair. It was a bright shade of red-auburn-and it flowed seamlessly down her back.

Suddenly, she heard a strange sound come from above. She turned.

Qrow, who had been half-asleep the entire time, had drawn in a sharp breath and was now sitting upright, staring intently at the girl. Several nearby students, including Tai, had also noticed his reaction and were staring at him in confusion.

"Ah!" Oobleck had also noticed. With inhuman, caffeine-induced speed, he dashed straight to Qrow's seat and asked, "Mr. Branwen, I believe you recognize this poor young lady?"

"Uh-er-I, uh…" Qrow seemed caught off guard. His eyes were still fixated on the girl's picture. "She's, um…her name was…"

"Violet. Violet Fortune." A small voice rang out from near Summer, saving Qrow. It was Harriet.

"Excellent!" Oobleck dashed over to her. "Ah I see. Ms. Maroon, as a Faunus, your life was likely touched by the Faunus War as well, no? Were you acquainted at all with Ms. Fortune?"

Hesitantly, Harriet shook her head. "I only…um…I only heard of her once the news of her death had spread throughout the whole Faunus community. I was…really young and umm…I didn't really get everything that was happening. When things started to get really bad, um…my parents took me and we moved to Vale, where the war was least severe." She'd been looking down while answering, wringing her hands.

"I see. It must have been terrible for you, all the same." Oobleck said comfortingly. "Yes, after Ms. Fortune's death, war sprung up between humans and Faunus almost overnight. Many lost their lives in the battles that followed. The raid on Nimh Valley and the Massacre of Waterdown Village come to mind as the height of the war's brutality. Finally, after three years, the Faunus gained the advantage in the decisive battle at Fort Castle. With their enhanced night vision, they defeated General Lagune's forces and won a monumentally important victory-it was shortly afterward that humanity finally signed the peace treaty allowing humans and Faunus to co-exist in peace, and while discrimination against Faunus is sadly prevalent even to this day it is nowhere near as bad as it once was, and there is no threat of another war anytime soon." He took a deep breath. "Are there any questions?"

The students shook their heads, while scrambling to copy down notes before the professor could continue.

"Actually, I do have a question." It was Raven. "Ah! Ms Branwen, excellent, what would like to know?"

"Professor, you claimed that the Faunus were mistreated. I will neither rebuff nor affirm your statement, but I would like to ask: are they really so deserving of our sympathy?"

"I…don't quite understand." Oobleck seemed perplexed.

"What I am saying is this." Raven was starting to get looks from everyone in the class, but she continued without hesitation. "If the Faunus believed they were treated unfairly, surely they could have retaliated long ago. And yet, they stood by and did nothing to defend the name of their own kind, only taking action when something truly indefensible began to threaten them-and even then, the result was the loss of countless lives, including many of their own. I fail to see how their situation was not at least partially their own incompetence."

Several people gasped in shock. Students began to murmur among themselves. Besides Summer, Heather was glaring daggers at Raven, while Harriet simply looked dumbfounded.

"Sis…" Qrow growled warningly at her from above. Tai looked at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"I can understand if some of you find what I am saying distasteful. However, I am merely stating my opinion on the matter. Out in the world today, I have seen Faunus who claim that they do not deserve _equal_ treatment-rather, it is humanity who must become subjugated as justice for their crimes against them. Can anyone in this room-human or Faunus-honestly sympathize with this belief? All I am saying is this: The Faunus are not free from sin simply because they were once 'mistreated'."

"Err…" For once, Professor Oobleck was silent.

Summer was astonished at Raven's words. _She doesn't mince her words. Looks like she and Qrow are actually really alike._ Summer couldn't help but see where she was coming from. There were probably many evil Faunus out there in the world. Likely just as many as humans. They weren't all automatically good just because their species had suffered persecution.

A very uncomfortable silence was hanging over the room now. Suddenly, it was broken by Professor Goodwitch's voice coming through the speakers. "Would Qrow Branwen and Summer Rose please report to Headmaster Ozpin's office immediately."

 _Me?_ Summer wasn't sure why Ozpin wanted to see her, but right now she was just glad to get out of class. Qrow, looking similarly relieved, got out of his chair. Quietly, the two of them walked out of the classroom.

On their way out, Qrow flashed a glance behind him. At first, Summer thought he was glaring at his sister, but then she realized he was looking again at Violet Fortune's picture, which was still being displayed on the board.

 _I wonder why he seems so fascinated by that picture._

* * *

"So, uh…" Qrow said as they walked down the hall. "…Sorry 'bout that back there."

"You're apologizing? For what?"

Qrow sighed. "What Sis said. I think you, at least, can understand she wasn't tryin' to rude or whatever. She just…that's just how she is. I don't think the others got that feeling, though."

"…Yeah." Summer nodded. She was sure Raven hadn't meant any offense towards Faunus or Professor Oobleck. If anything, what she'd said wasn't exactly wrong, even if it was a bit harsh.

Summer had always admired people who were honest and open with how they felt about something-even if wasn't what everyone else wanted to hear. It was the sort of thing she'd always had trouble doing.

"Lot of the time, I have to put her in check-make sure she doesn't say anything too stupid," Qrow continued, as if talking to himself. "As you can tell, sometimes that's just not possible. Sis is just the kinda person who always has to say _exactly_ what's on her mind."

"…Like you?" Summer couldn't help herself.

"Wha? I-oh. Right." Qrow paused awkwardly, remembering the locker room incident. He scowled. "I-I hope you're not expecting an apology for that. You of all people should've known that I was right."

Summer felt irritation rising up inside her, but she forced it down. She nodded. "Yeah...and really, you don't need to apologize. I think that kind of blunt honesty is admirable. Still," she frowned at him, trying to look stern, "I think you should tone it down a bit. Just a suggestion."

Qrow smirked. "I'll try, pal-but no promises. That's just how I've always been. Old habits die hard, y'know?"

"Yeah. Oh, that's right!" Summer remembered something. "Back in the forest, you said you and Raven didn't come from Atlas after all, right?"

"Uhh, no, actually." Qrow looked strangely tense. "I said it was "more complicated" than that. We came from a small village outside of the main Atlas-in the area that was once part of Mantle. After our…uh…when we were, uh, I think it was when we were about ten, our dad picked us up and we moved to Vale." He shrugged. "Well, now that I say it out loud, I guess it's not so complicated after all."

"…I see." Summer said. She did remember hearing about a much larger Kingdom that had existed where Atlas stood now. "A small village, huh? I thought most of those places get torn down by Grimm within a few months."

"You're one to talk. Didn't you grow up in a small village, too?"

"Technically, I grew up in a boarding school, but yeah, the village where I was born just happened to be built in a part of Vale without much Grimm activity. But aren't the Great Plains around Atlas extremely cold and windy? I've even heard of rare and powerful Grimm that roam those areas."

"Hey, I never said it was easy there." Qrow reminded her, looking more relaxed now. "Remember, my old man hated the place enough that we all got the hell outta there the moment we had enough to get by." He frowned at her. "Y'know, you're more talkative than I thought you'd be. Aren't you supposed to be, like, the "shrinking violet" type?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Summer huffed. "Are you saying there's something wrong with talking to a friend?"

"F-friend? Hey, look, I get that we're partners, but I never said I was…" Qrow, looking rather flustered, stopped in place. "Oh, hey, look at that. Guess we're here."

"Huh?" Summer realized he was right. In the heat of the conversation, she'd stopped paying attention to her surroundings.

They'd reached the office of Professor Ozpin.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **I liiiiiiiiiiiiiied! :D**

 **Yeah, sorry, but writing this one's just too much fun.**

 **Still, I can't say I'm too proud of this chapter. It really is just exposition and info-dumping, which is the laziest possible form of storytelling, but I just couldn't think of any other way to set up what's coming next.**

 **More than anything, I just wanted to get it over and done with.**

 **Still, the RvB reference and the allusions to Qrow and Tai's other character roles were fun to put in.**

 **Next chapter will hopefully be more exciting, and there's gonna be another fight scene! Hope you keep reading!**


	9. Practice

**Chapter 9: Practice**

"Greetings, Miss Rose, Mr Branwen," Ozpin smiled warmly as the two of them walked in. "I apologize if I disturbed your class."

"Eh. I was just glad to get outta there," Qrow replied bluntly. "So, Professor Oz, is this about-"

Ozpin nodded. "Yes, it is. The information you provided was most helpful. I would like to discuss the matter with you-and Miss Rose." He smiled at Summer. As always, there was a strange intensity in his eyes when he looked at her. "I think it is right that you hear about it, as well."

Summer frowned. "Um, thank you sir. But…why me? If this is about what Qrow saw in the forest, isn't he enough?"

"Well, you are the leader of his team and Mr Branwen's partner, so it is only natural. Now," he turned his attention back to Qrow. "First, we were able to trace the symbol on the perpetrator's robe. It belongs to a small crime syndicate that has been causing chaos in Atlas over the past month. They originally gave no name, but now certain sources believe they refer to themselves as the "Revenants".

"…Never heard of it." Qrow said.

"It can't be helped-they _are_ rather small. In fact, even I know very little about them. They seem to have only been formed recently, and their movements are sporadic and disorganized-but very destructive. And the lack of knowledge on their members makes them even more dangerous." Ozpin was speaking very calmly, yet Summer noticed his hands were clenched tightly, as if he was agitated. "The only thing known for certain about them is that their targets tend to be Faunus. Most likely, their motive is little more than petty discrimination."

"That's horrible…" Summer murmured. Having just heard a lecture about the Faunus War, hearing about this recent cruelty towards Faunus was even more poignant. Faunus discrimination really hadn't died with the war.

"Alright…" Qrow pondered for a second, then continued: "What about the names that guy mentioned? Buck and the Grandmaster?"

For a second, Summer was sure she saw hesitation-or even a hint of fear-in the headmaster's face, but it vanished quickly. "I'm afraid we have yet to find concrete leads on either of them," Ozpin replied, calm as ever. "When we can be certain, we will let you know."

 _We? He must be talking about him and Professor Goodwitch._

Summer suddenly wondered why Ozpin was telling them this. This didn't really seem like the sort of thing a headmaster would confide in two first-year students.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering what I'm telling you this for," Ozpin went on, as if he'd read her mind. His gaze turned serious. "I suppose you might say…that I'm giving you two your first assignment as Huntsmen."

 _Huh?_ Summer stared at him in confusion. _Like, a formal assignment? From the headmaster of Beacon himself? Already?_ Qrow also looked confounded.

Ozpin smiled at their surprise. "Perhaps it would be best if I explained myself in greater detail. I would like the two of you to investigate this syndicate and their activities. Of course, you won't be doing anything particularly reckless-I simply want you to monitor suspicious activity in the area and report any possible involvement of the syndicate. With so little information on them, any intelligence would be of help."

Qrow scratched his head. "But didn't you just say this…syndicate causes their crap all the way in Atlas? The heck are we supposed to do about that?"

Ozpin pressed a button underneath his desk, and a hologram appeared over it, depicting a department store in Vale-one that Summer had visited once on a field trip. On the wall was a crudely-painted symbol.

It was, without question, the insignia of the Revenants.

"This symbol appeared on the wall of the Low-Go Department Store yesterday. At the moment, there is no indication of whether it is a warning of imminent activity from the syndicate, but I believe it is best to be certain." Ozpin adjusted his glasses. "I think investigating this situation is well within your capabilities, no?"

Summer nodded timidly. "Yeah, it sounds fine." _It really doesn't sound that crazy. I think I can do that-and hey, if it gets me on good terms with the headmaster, I'm up for it._

Qrow still looked skeptical. "Okay, sure. So, uh, does anyone else know about this 'syndicate'?"

Ozpin smiled. "No one other than Glynda and I, and a couple of my other close associates. And now, of course, you two. I do not wish to stir up panic among the people-it would only attract the Grimm. I have chosen you two because I believe I can trust you despite your current lack of experience-and as thanks for your aid in the Emerald Forest incident." His look turned serious again. "Of course…whether you accept is up to you."

"Okay. I'm up for it." Qrow answered immediately. "If it means I might run into that bastard with the mask again, I'm game. I _really_ need to pay him back for kicking my ass in the forest."

"Excellent." Ozpin turned his sharp gaze to Summer. "And you, Miss Rose?"

"…I'll do it." Summer stirred up her resolve. "If the syndicate is really out there, hurting people…then as a Huntress, I can't just ignore them."

The headmaster nodded approvingly. "Well said, both of you. Of course, I am not expecting you to get results immediately-please, take your time with the matter. In the meantime, I believe you should get to class-I believe Glynda's combat training is up next."

"Ah!" Summer looked at the clock. Ozpin was right. _Have we really been away for that long?_

"Ok then." Qrow opened his mouth like he was about to say more, but closed it, shaking his head. "Alright, let's go. We'll get the info you need soon, Professor."

With that, they left the room.

* * *

Alone, Ozpin pondered whether he had done the right thing.

He had made many mistakes this way before-far too many. Entrusting information to the wrong people. It always ended in death and suffering. Every time.

But now, things could be different.

In all honesty, Ozpin had barely noticed the young man-Mr Branwen-throughout their conversation. The only thing that had mattered to him was the girl with the silver eyes.

He still had his doubts-but he believed with all his heart that she was the right choice.

 _She still doesn't know what makes her so special._

 _Sometimes I hope, for her sake, that she never finds out._

* * *

Out of breath, Summer and Qrow burst through the doors to the Combat Training classroom. Between running back to History to grab their belongings, and then rushing to the locker rooms to change into their combat outfits, they'd arrived five minutes late.

On the stage, Raven dealt a swift, deadly blow to Regal Swanwing of Team HTHR, sending the young man crashing to the ground. His partner Torrence lay unconscious next to him.

"And that's the match!" Professor Goodwitch declared. "Well done, Miss Branwen and Mr. Xiao Long."

"Alright! We rule!" Tai pumped his fists in the air with a big grin.

"Heh, not bad," said Regal, smiling painfully. He was a handsome albino wearing a fancy tuxedo. He placed his feather-shaped combat knives back in his belt pouch. "Heather wasn't kidding about you guys-you're pretty good."

"Your praise is appreciated," replied Raven, sheathing her katana. "You two aren't so bad either. Your teamwork in particular is excellent."

"Haha, glad to hear it." Regal stretched out his arms and began walking off the stage. Torrence, getting up with a grunt, nodded at Raven and Tai before following him.

"Ah, there you are." Goodwitch had noticed Summer and Qrow's arrival. "You two, you're late. As punishment, you will participate in the next match."

 _Huh?_ Summer's heart sank.

"Oh, c'mon!" Qrow protested. "The headmaster had to talk to us! It wasn't our fault!"

"That is not my concern." The young professor responded bluntly. "Punctuality is an important part of being a Huntsman. Now," without waiting for a response, she turned to the other students. "Who else would like to participate?"

There was a brief silence, and someone raised their hand. "I-I'd like to try," said Harriet timidly.

"Excellent, Miss Maroon. You and Miss Fox, please get ready for battle." Glynda turned back to Qrow and Summer. "You two as well."

"Alright." Summer nodded. Her heart was pounding, but she couldn't deny that she felt excited. She was looking forward to testing her skills against Harriet and Heather.

"Don't hold me back, alright?" Qrow growled, readying his weapon.

"Don't worry about me." Summer made the bravest smile she could. The two of them got up on the stage.

"Good luck, Summer! You too, Birdy!" Tai called up at them.

"Holy crap, for the love of Balder, will you stop calling me that?!" Qrow yelled back.

Raven said nothing, merely observing the upcoming battle with a curious, analytical gaze.

Harriet and Heather joined them a minute later.

"I'm looking forward to this," Heather smiled, adjusting her glasses. "Make it interesting for me, will you?"

Harriet unsheathed her gauntlets. "D-don't hold back…I'm strong, too!"

"Is everyone ready?" Goodwitch asked, monitoring their Aura on her Scroll. The four of them nodded. 'Very well. Let the match begin!"

At once, Heather and Harriet charged. Heather began firing bullets with frightening precision at Summer, who dodged as fast as she could. _She's probably the stronger of the two…I should focus on Harriet!_

Quickly, she loaded an arrow into her bow and fired it at Harriet, who sliced it into pieces with her claws. With her rabbit-like speed, she dashed at Summer, landing a direct hit on her.

"Agh!" Summer gasped, feeling her Aura dropping. _Okay, I was wrong! That's what I get for underestimating her, I guess!_ She retaliated by pulling out an arrow and thrust it at the Faunus girl.

However, it merely phased through her, as if she wasn't even there. _Huh?_

"Hrahh!" Harriet kicked her with surprising force, sending her flying across the stage. Cursing, Summer got back to her feet. _Was that her Semblance? Some kind of intangibility?_

She risked a glance at Qrow. He was blocking Heather's bullets with his large sword, occasionally throwing out a counterattack.

 _This seems like a good matchup. I think he can take care of her. Meanwhile-_

"Don't forget…about me!" Harriet sent her flying with a strong slash attack. Before Summer could recover, she jumped up and began swiping at her furiously.

Pain shot through Summer's body like sharp needles. She caught a glimpse of Harriet's face. There was no trace of the shy girl she was used to-her visage was clenched in concentration, and there was a fire in her eyes now, showing her determination to fight. Summer hadn't expected she'd ever feel afraid of someone as unassuming as Harriet, but that was what she was feeling right now.

"Hiyah!" Harriet completed her combo attack with a swift karate chop that sent her crashing head-first onto the stage. _Dammit!_ Already, her Aura was getting dangerously low.

Recovering, Summer gritted her teeth. _She really_ is _strong…but I don't feel like losing to her, either!_

"What'd I say about not holding me back?" Qrow growled at her. He'd actually managed to land a solid hit on Heather, who was now getting back up.

"Don't worry about me!" Summer yelled. "I can take her!" She inserted earth Dust into her arrow and began sparring with Harriet.

 _One. Two. Three. Four._ The two of them began meeting each other blow for blow. Summer focused all her might onto meeting Harriet's attacks. Unfortunately, the rabbit Faunus was just too fast. A well-placed blow from her claws shattered the reinforced arrow.

"Tch!" Dodging a blow, Summer leaped back and launched a flurry of arrows at her opponent. Harriet weaved her way around them.

Before Summer could reload, Harriet loaded an Aura Capsule into her gauntlet. The weapon began to glow with golden energy. Yelling, she leapt straight at Summer with a full-power strike.

 _I won't be able to take this one!_ Out of options, Summer raised her hands, hoping her Aura could defend her from the incoming attack.

 _Wham._ It didn't work.

A loud buzzing sound resonated through the room as Harriet's strike made contact, knocking her to the ground, signifying that Summer's Aura had dropped beneath acceptable levels. She was out.

"So this is you 'taking her', huh?" Qrow grumbled, still defending himself against Heather's assault. "Told you so."

Summer couldn't bring herself to retort. He was right, after all-she was too weak. First Jin, and now she'd lost to Harriet as well. _Fighting other Huntsmen is on a whole other level than fighting Grimm…_

Now, Qrow had to contend with both Heather and Harriet, who were fighting together in perfect synchronization. Snarling and cursing, he transformed his weapon into its scythe form to cover more range, defending himself from both girls at the same time.

Despite putting up the best fight he could, Qrow simply couldn't handle a 2-on-1 battle, and before long, he was taken out as well.

 _Bzzt._ "And that's the match! Well done, Miss Maroon and Miss Fox." Glynda announced, walking onto the stage.

"Th-thank you, Professor!" Harriet stammered, returning to her timid persona. She turned to Summer awkwardly. "A-and, umm, thank you for the battle. You were pretty good!"

"Urgh…thanks…" Summer picked herself up, groaning in pain.

"Miss Rose, Mr Branwen, you two need to work on your teamwork," Glynda said with a stern frown. "I sensed no coordination whatsoever in your combat strategy. If you have any wish to win the Vytal Festival Tournament, you must learn to work together."

She turned to the students gathered there. "That's enough for today. Classes are over. You may all return to your dorms." With that, she turned and walked backstage.

Heather bowed to Qrow and Summer. "Don't let her words get you down. I think you two have great potential. I hope to spar with you again!" She smiled encouragingly at Summer, and walked off with Harriet.

Soon, Team STRQ were the only ones in the room.

"So, uh…" Tai said, trying to break the silence. "I mean, I don't think you did _that_ bad."

"Shut up." Qrow snarled, retracting his blade. "How'd you do, anyway?"

"Oh, we were awesome!" Tai broke into a grin. "I beat the crap outta that Torrence guy, but he was actually really tough with that big switch-axe of his! Regal wasn't so bad either, but man, you should have seen Raven! She was amazing! She didn't even give those guys a chance! We were, like, the greatest p…oh." He stopped, his eyes widening in panic. "Oh. Crap. Um…sorry."

Qrow spat at the floor. "No. No, it's totally fine." He glared at Summer. "What the hell was that? I thought you'd at least be stronger than that! You almost died back in the forest, then you nearly got your ass kicked by that cocky wimp, and now you're embarrassing me in front of Sis- _again!_ "

Summer couldn't take it anymore. "Well, excuse me for not being a super-talented genius like your sister!" She yelled at him. "I'm just doing my best!"

"Yeah?" Qrow hissed. "Well guess what? It's not enough." He turned and stomped out of the classroom. "I'll go on ahead. Don't disturb me for at least two hours."

"…So, uh…" Tai looked even more uncomfortable. "That didn't go well."

Raven, meanwhile, had been silent. Finally, she spoke: "It looks like Brother's been giving you trouble."

"You think?" Summer muttered bitterly.

Raven smiled. "Don't let him bother you. It's true that you still have a long way to go, Summer. But like Heather said, I think you've got a lot of potential."

"…Really?" Summer looked up. She hadn't expected strict, aloof Raven to take her side on the matter.

"Well, the first I saw of you, you were standing up for a helpless young girl, without a moment's hesitation. To be honest, it was something I was unfamiliar with at the time, and so, I began to take an interest in you." Raven put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You have a good heart. I think that is one aspect in which you surpass me."

"I…" Stupidly, Summer felt like crying. _No, idiot. Don't make such a big deal out of this. It was just a match!_

"Yeah!" Tai chimed in, flashing her a grin. "Don't worry about Birdy, believe in yourself! He's just butthurt that he'll never be as awesome as you!"

"…Thanks guys." Summer couldn't help but smile. "I feel better now."

"Great!" Without her permission, Tai grabbed her hand. Summer yelped, blushing for some reason. "Come on now, let's get back to the dorm. Hope Birdy doesn't throw a temper tantrum and blow up the place!"

"Yes." Raven nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

Thankfully, Qrow had not destroyed the room. He was, however, lying on his bed, and wouldn't respond to anyone, and wouldn't even get up to do his homework or eat dinner. In the end, Summer, Tai and Raven just left him alone.

After dinner, everyone went to bed. Soon, the four of them were fast asleep. At least, that was how it seemed.

"Hey, wake up."

"Hrmmmm?" Summer was aroused from her slumber.

"I said, wake up!" Qrow growled, flinging her bedsheets off her.

"Ack!" she yelped. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced blearily at her partner, who was standing above her in full combat outfit with his usual scowl.

"You really did forget. Remember Oz's mission? To investigate the syndicate? Well, we're doing it tonight."

"Whaaa…." Summer was still half-asleep. "But he said…to take our time…"

"Like I give a damn! C'mon, let's go! I know for a fact that something's gonna happen tonight!"

"Huh?" Summer was now fully awake. "What do you mean?"

Qrow smirked. "While the three of you went to the cafeteria for dinner, I snuck out. Turned into a bird, flew across town, and did a lil' investigating on my own. And guess what I found out? Turns out there's gonna be a meeting between some Faunus chumps at the department store tonight. They're discussing some sorta…land treaty or whatever that's being signed, I don't care. Point is, they're Faunus. And you know who the syndicate is supposed to be targeting, right?"

"Faunus…" Summer muttered. It did make sense. She sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll get changed. But…why aren't you going by yourself?"

"What does that mean?" Qrow looked confused.

"I mean, just today you were ranting about how weak I was, so why bother waking me up? Why not take care of it yourself if you think I'm so useless? You could even get your sis to help instead."

"Umm…" Qrow was at a loss for words. "D-don't overthink it! Oz _did_ ask for the two of us specifically, so, uh…" He shook his head. "Agh! Forget it! C'mon, let's go, or we'll wake up the others!" He ducked out of the room quickly to avoid seeing her changing.

Silently, Summer changed into her combat clothes and put on her white cloak. Making sure she'd brought enough arrows for her bow, she followed Qrow out of the room.

It was time for her first mission.

* * *

 **And that's the latest chapter!**

 **I'm aiming for a release schedule of every Monday and Friday, but it's not concrete yet, just an idea of mine to let everyone know when to expect updates.**

 **Anyway, enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!**

 **Next chapter's a big one, I promise!**


	10. Enemy

**Chapter 9: Enemy**

Stepping out of the school building, Qrow looked around stealthily. _Doesn't look like anyone's nearby. That's good._ He glanced behind him "Hurry up," he whispered.

Summer's steps echoed in the distance. A few seconds later, she was out the door as well. She frowned at him. "Lockpicking skills? Really?"

Qrow shrugged. "Hey, I'm good at it. Now are we gonna do this or not?"

"Yeah, alright." Summer nodded reluctantly. "The Low-Go Department Store, right?"

"Yep, that's the one. Just don't do anything stupid, alright?"

Summer scowled. "Don't worry about me!"

"That's what you said earlier today, and didn't you lose like a chump?" Qrow asked with a snort.

"That's beside the point!" Summer snapped. "Why do you always have to such a jerk abou-"

Suddenly, Qrow heard a movement in the trees. He felt a chill run down his spine. _Someone's here._ "Quiet!" He hissed to her. "I think someone's nearby, be ready to fight!"

Summer's eyes widened, and she nodded, readying her bow. Qrow pulled out his sword. The two of them stood there for a moment, glancing around.

"Stay on guard," Qrow muttered. "They could show up at any moment. I can't tell who it is, but we may have to fight our way out!"

"Actually, I don't think that'll be necessary." Someone spoke from right next to him.

 _Oh shit!_ Instinctively, he turned swiftly towards the source of the voice, preparing to strike-

-and was promptly disarmed. His greatsword landed with a _clang_ several metres away.

"You still need to focus on your defense, it seems." Raven smiled at him, as she sheathed her katana.

"S-s-SIS?" Qrow stammered.

"And that's not all!" From behind the trees, Tai walked out with his typical smile. "Didn't see that coming, eh?"

"Raven? Tai?" Summer looked at them in confusion. "W-what are you two doing?"

"C'mon, did you really think we'd let you two have fun all by yourself? Yeah, right!" Tai laughed. "You can't lie to the Tai, baby!"

 _You have got to be freaking kidding me._ "How …" Qrow muttered incredulously, "How did you know we were…"

"Don't you know?" Tai bumped his chest with his fist. "Taiyang Xiao Long always finds out!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Is that so? Because I recall you were sleeping like a rock until I shook you awake a few minutes ago."

"Argh! Don't ruin my moment, Rae, I just want to look cool…" Tai gave an exaggerated sigh.

… _Rae?_ Qrow glared at Tai. _He better not be trying to make a move on my sister._

"In truth, I simply sensed your agitation today, and became suspicious. So, I waited to see what you would do after we were asleep. What you sought to accomplish by sneaking out, I don't actually know." Raven admitted. "I'd like it if you informed the two of us."

"…Alright." Qrow sighed. There was no point fighting back; Raven and Tai had already inserted themselves firmly into the matter. And plus, changing Raven's opinion once she'd made up her mind was like taking on ten Nevermores bare-naked. "Here's the deal…"

He and Summer filled them in on Ozpin's mission regarding the Revenants.

"Ozpin himself gave you a mission?" Tai's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

"…It must be serious, then." Raven looked intrigued. "If what you said is true, and something is really happening tonight, then we should go immediately."

"Yeah." Qrow grunted. "That was the plan."

"Don't worry about it!" Tai cracked his knuckles. "With the four of us together, nothing can stand in our way! Let's go, team!"

* * *

They'd arrived at the Low-Go Department Store. Sure enough, the Revenants' symbol was painted on the wall. A few people were walking around at this time of night, not paying attention to the four students sneaking out past their bedtime.

"...I don't see anything suspicious," Tai frowned, scanning the area. "You sure these syndicate guys are going to show up?"

Qrow nodded. "They have to. It makes too much sense-and there's definitely a Faunus meeting tonight in there. I _know_ I'm right."

"…Whatever you say, Birdy," Tai said, still skeptical.

"I told you, my name's…oh, forget it." Qrow sighed.

Raven frowned. "Brother is right, I can sense there are at least ten people gathered in close proximity in the building, among others. Presumably, those are the Faunus that will be discussing the land treaty."

"Huh?" Summer asked, cocking her head to the side. "You can… _sense_ them?"

"Oh, Sis can do that," Qrow replied. "She can sense when others are nearby, and can even tell when they're distressed or in pain."

"Oh. So that's her Semblance?"

"…Yeah. Sure." Qrow looked strangely hesitant.

A long silence followed. The four of them waited outside the department store, behind the cover of a nearby building, waiting for something-anything. It slowly dawned on them that they actually had no idea what they were expecting to happen.

"So, uh, shouldn't we actually go in to check on the Faunus?" Tai suggested.

Raven shook her head. "No, I don't want to risk us looking suspicious." She turned to Qrow. "Are you _certain_ this syndicate will make their move tonight?"

Qrow scowled at his sister. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm sure of it. Like, cross my heart and all that crap. Why don't you have some faith in me for once, huh?"

"I'm only making sure," Raven reassured him. "At any rate, if no one comes by in the next few minutes, I'm afraid we'll have to-"

Suddenly, her body stiffened. Eyes widening, she stared straight ahead. Without a word, she darted towards the department store, drawing her sword.

"Sis?" Qrow yelled. "What the hell are you doing?"

"No time to explain!" She turned back for second, and disappeared into the building.

"W-what should we do?" Tai looked at Qrow and Summer uncertainly.

Qrow began to smile. "…Heh. Guess I was right. Looks like our culprit is here after all."

"The syndicate is here?" Summer's eyes widened. She grabbed her bow. "We need to follow her-"

"No!" Tai grabbed her hand. "It might be dangerous!"

"Yeah, Tai's right," Qrow nodded. "Don't worry, Sis can handle anything." Reluctantly, Summer put her weapon away.

Tense, the three of them waited. Suddenly, they heard yelling coming from within the store. A little girl ran out, crying.

A moment later, several middle-aged Faunus wearing business suits came rushing out. _Those must be the guys who were discussing the treaty!_

"Hey!" Qrow yelled at them. "What's going on?"

One of them turned to him with a frightened gaze. "S-some crazy woman came rushing in and forced us out! She said there was a-"

Before he could finish, a thunderous tremor rang out, as the department store exploded. The force from the blast knocked everyone down to the ground.

"No! Raven!" Tai yelled.

"W-what happened?!" Summer screamed, scrambling to get up.

Horror welled up in Qrow's chest. He'd hoped that his hunch would be correct, but he'd never expected this. He stared in shock at the wreckage of the building.

 _They had a bomb!_

* * *

Summer was frozen in terror. She stared blankly at what had once been the Low-Go Department Store. She could only imagine how many people had still been in the building. She glanced at the three Faunus who were lying on the ground, out cold. The little girl was still sobbing.

With a sinking feeling, she remembered Raven saying that she'd sensed _ten_ Faunus in the store. She knew all too well what had just become of the other seven.

Some nearby civilians had seen the explosion. Screaming, they ran as fast as possible away from the scene.

"Raven!" Tai screamed, trying to run into the flaming wreckage, with Qrow holding him back. "Raven, are you alright?!"

"Don't go in there!" Qrow growled. "You'll just kill yourself-stupidly! Plus, Sis is fine, don't worry!"

"Huh? Really?" Tai stopped and stared at him.

"Really." Right on cue, a portal materialized next to them and Raven stepped out. "Come on, we need to take care of the culprit!"

"What about the other people who were still in the building?" Summer inquired.

Raven shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid I couldn't save all of them. I had to get out of there before the explosion happened."

"No…" Tai murmured. "That can't be…"

"Well, Brother?" Raven turned to Qrow. "It seems you were right after all."

"Yeah…" he muttered, still kneeling in shock. "Didn't think it would happen like that. Sis, you saw who did this?"

"Not quite." Raven raised her head to the sky and yelled: "There's no use hiding! I think it's about time you showed yourself!"

There was a moment's silence. Then, a sinister laugh rang out in the night.

"Not bad…" A raspy voice came out from the shadows. A middle-aged man with graying brown hair stepped out from behind the nearby warehouse. "I'm surprised…I thought Faunus were the only ones who could sense others."

The man grinned, showing off his horrifically large teeth. _This guy's…a Faunus!_ Summer realized. _But…that doesn't make any sense!_

"I assume you're the one who did this?" Raven's eyes narrowed.

"Bwa-ha-ha! Indeed!" The man laughed unpleasantly. "I could've just planted the explosive and hightailed it out of there…but I decided I'd stay back and admire my own handiwork. Haha…it looks like that wasn't a good idea after all."

The little girl who'd run out of the building was now staring, terrified, at the Faunus. She ran up to Summer and continued crying. Instinctively, Summer held her comfortingly.

Tai clenched his fists. His face was contorted in anger. "You… _bastard_ …I can't believe you can stand there and say that! How many people did you just kill?"

The man shrugged. "I couldn't care less. All that matters is that I eliminated my prey." He scowled at the three Faunus who were sprawled out unconscious on the ground. "Kh. Most of them, anyway."

Qrow drew his sword. "So that settles it. You've gotta be one of the Revenants!"

"But why?" Summer demanded, bewildered. "You're a Faunus, too! Why would you kill your own kind?"

"Ahahaha! Big words, coming from a human!" The man laughed again. "If you really want an answer…it's true that I despise your kind, but my species isn't that much better! I owe them _quite_ a bit of pain for what they did to me. If it weren't for their _meddling,_ I'd have my name in the history books by now! I, Buck London, the Butcher of Waterdown!"

"Buck? That's one of the names that masked guy mentioned." Snarling, Qrow transformed his weapon into a scythe. "Now I _really_ want to kick your ass!"

"Waterdown…" Raven murmured. "The village that was massacred during the Faunus War…I see. So that's who you are."

Summer also recognized the name. She'd heard stories about the Massacre of Waterdown Village. During the early days of the Faunus Revolution, a small camp of Faunus had taken over a village in Mistral. Low on weaponry, the humans there had surrendered almost immediately, and it was one of the few peaceful victories of the war.

The next day, every last human in the village was dead. They'd all been slaughtered overnight. None were spared, not the elderly nor the infants. Their deaths had apparently been so brutal that no official pictures of the incident had ever been released.

At first, it was believed the village had been overrun by Grimm, but it soon became clear that a Faunus had been responsible for the massacre. The Faunus camp had cleared out long before anyone could investigate the crime scene, and the perpetrator had never been caught.

"Oh, so you figured it out. I'm touched," Buck said smugly. "Yes, my traitorous comrades decided to wipe all traces of me from the war records. As far as the world's concerned, all those victories I fought for my people never existed!"

Raging, he drew his weapon-a high-tech machine gun with chainsaw blades decorating the exterior. "And that's how…I got stuck working a low-end job with a company of _cowards,_ instead of being honoured as the hero who rid the world of over two hundred humans in a single night!"

With a whir, the chainsaw blades on his gun began their motions, making a sinister buzzing noise. "So yes…I've got a reason to want a few Faunus dead. Those fools would sign their meaningless treaties, believe that humans and Faunus could ever coexist in peace? _**NEVER!**_ "

With a shrill battle cry, Buck charged at the four Huntsmen.

Summer felt fear rising up in her as she held the crying girl. This was a mass murderer they were going up against. This was someone willing and experienced with cold-blooded slaughter. Did four kids even stand a chance?

"You won't get away with this!" Tai met his strike. Barehanded, he blocked Buck's chainsaw, his Aura protecting him from the blades' deadly whir. The tattoos on his arms began to glow red.

"Hraahh!" The Fire Dust enhancing his strength and speed, Tai parried away the Faunus' weapon and swung a flurry of fiery punches. Growling in pain, Buck aimed his machine gun and fired a load of bullets into Tai's arms.

Tai winced as over twenty bullets painfully chewed away his Aura, bit by bit. "Damn it!" he growled, swinging another punch. However, this time Buck simply blocked it with his bare hand.

"What?" He gasped.

"Don't let your guard down!" Qrow yelled, leaping over him while swinging at Buck. With surprising speed, his opponent dodged, jumping off his scythe and knocking Qrow down with a direct hit from his chainsaw.

"Argh!" Qrow yelled. Chuckling, Buck held him down and prepared for a lethal strike.

"Get away from him!" Tai leapt at Buck again. The Faunus simply swiped him aside. It should have been a weak punch, but it struck the young man square in the jaw, sending him flying straight into the nearby brick wall. "H-how…" Tai spat out a tooth. "How's he this strong?!"

"Heheh…" Buck laughed. His eyes were wide with bloodlust. His hair was glowing, and had turned completely white. His fanged mouth hung open, drooling. "The more pain I inflict on others, the stronger I become," he rasped. "That's my Semblance!"

"What's with him?" Summer stared at him. "Why does he look like that?"

"A side-effect of his Semblance," Raven murmured. "Most of the more powerful Semblances have them. Some of them, like his, merely cause physical changes upon activation. Others grant additional abilities that can be mistaken as Semblances on their own." She glanced at Summer. "Now, then, shall we help out the boys?"

Summer nodded nervously. "Yeah. Oh, right!" She gestured to the girl. She couldn't have been older than five, and had short black hair and amber eyes. "What should we do about her?"

"Here." Raven swung her sword, creating a portal. "Get in, little girl. When you get out, do not move, and you'll be safe." The girl just looked at her, motionless and terrified. "I _said_ , get in!"

"It's okay," Summer soothed her. "You can trust her. We'll take care of this, promise." After a moment, the girl nodded and walked in.

"Let's see how you ladies like this!" Buck dashed towards them. He parried with Raven, sending sparks flying into the night sky. Summer desperately tried to aim for Buck while the two of them fought it out. _C'mon, let me get a clear shot!_

"Hrahh!" With his enhanced strength, Buck knocked Raven's katana out of her hand and kicked her across the ground. Before she could recover, he moved his sights to Summer, and charged.

 _Oh no!_ She fired her arrow. It struck him in the chest, taking off a respectable chunk of Aura, but he simply shrugged it off and struck the young Huntress in the stomach with his chainsaw.

A blinding sensation of pain sent Summer keeling to the ground, screaming. _He's taking us all out like nothing!_

"Tch," Buck grumbled, looking at his downed opponent. "Looks like R was just talking nonsense again. "The Grandmaster says to observe Summer Rose; she poses a great danger to our plan." Hmph! I guess even they can be wrong, too."

 _Wait, what's he saying? I'm…a danger to them? Me?_ None of this was making sense. Who was this 'R'? And the 'Grandmaster'?

Whatever the case, she couldn't give up. This was what she'd trained for, after all. To fight people like this, who put the peace of Remnant in peril. Agonizingly, she picked herself up. Qrow, Tai and Raven were recovering from their injuries as well.

"Oh? Still got some fight left in you?" Buck whirred his chainsaw nonchalantly. "You humans really are tenacious, huh?."

"Guys!" Summer yelled. "Let's coordinate our attacks this time! Fighting him one-on-one is suicide!"

"Don't order me around!" Qrow readied his scythe. "You're right, though. Now, don't hold me back again!"

Tai and Raven nodded. "Even you can't beat us four-on-one, old man!" Tai taunted.

Buck sighed. "Now this is just a waste of time. I think I'll just end you all quickly." With that, the battle continued.

Tai and Raven struck at him from both sides. Even with Buck's enormous strength, he couldn't defend himself from both of them. For every one of Tai's punches he blocked, Raven landed three swift blows on him with her katana. Every time he parried Raven's blade, Tai struck him in the back of his head with his fist. Slowly, they wore him down with their coordinated attacks.

 _Incredible._ Summer couldn't help but stare in awe. Their teamwork was impeccable. All of their attacks were perfectly synchronized.

"Don't stand there and gawk! It's our turn!" Qrow yelled. Raising his weapon, he grinned at her. "Ready, partner?"

"Yeah!" Summer readied her bow. "Let's do this!"

She fired a round of arrows in Buck's direction. Seeing them approaching, he swiftly knocked Tai and Raven aside with a sweeping kick and leapt out of the projectiles' range.

Without having to worry about hitting his teammates now, Qrow jumped straight at Buck and swung his scythe. Buck desperately bombarded the young man with bullets, but they were easily deflected by the enormous weapon. Qrow struck his opponent with a devastating swing that disarmed him and sent him flying.

"Dammit! I won't lose to you…" Buck struggled to regain his footing. In that moment, Summer loaded an ice Dust-infused arrow into her bow and fired. The snow-white streak exploded where it impacted Buck's ankle, creating a crystal of ice that froze his legs in place.

"Got you!" Summer yelled triumphantly. "Get him, Tai!"

"No problem!" Tai activated his Semblance, and began to glow with Aura. He swung a full-powered punch at Buck. "Eat this, you bastard!"

Without his chainsaw-gun, Buck had no way to defend himself. He felt the full impact of Taiyang's strike into his face as his Aura was completely depleted. He was sent flying straight into the pavement, creating a respectably-sized crater. Immediately, his Semblance faded, and his hair returned to its normal graying brown.

"It appears that…we win." Raven smiled.

"Damn right we did!" Tai whooped. He smirked at Buck, lying there on the ground. "You get stronger from other people's suffering, but I get stronger when I've got my friends behind me. So what have you learned from this, huh? It's that you'll never win against the power of friendship, baby."

Qrow sighed, retracting his weapon. "And just like that, any satisfaction I would've got from this battle is gone forever."

Summer smiled. They'd actually done it. Cheesy as it was, what Tai had said wasn't wrong; they really were stronger when working together.

"…Can't be happening," Buck moaned, struggling to get back up. "How…could I lose…to you…"

"You only have yourself to blame for that, Buck."

Summer froze. _Who was that?_

Qrow's eyes widened. "You're kidding me…that voice! It's-"

Suddenly, from the docks, a large mechanism rose out of the water. It appeared to be some sort of aquatic version of an Atlesian aircraft. Summer had never seen anything like it before.

"What. The heck." Tai muttered, staring in disbelief at it.

The door to the craft opened, and a single figure stepped out. A figure with long auburn hair, a black robe, and a white mask.

" _You,"_ Qrow snarled.

"Good evening, everyone," the mystery man said, their voice heavily distorted by the mask. "I really am sorry about my comrade's irresponsibility." They turned to Buck. "I'm sure I told you and Simon to wait for my order before making your attack."

"Sh-shut up," Buck rasped pitifully. "The opportunity was…too good to resist."

The masked man sighed. "I suppose I should have expected that. Well, it doesn't matter now. I'd advise you to be careful, though; I don't believe the Grandmaster will forgive you for another act of disobedience."

"Who…are you?" Raven demanded. "You are also with the syndicate, aren't you?"

"In a way. Ah, that's right. I haven't properly introduced myself." The masked man bowed mockingly. "I suppose you can consider me to be the leader of the Revenants. You may call me 'R'."

"R? As in 'Revenants'?"

"You might say that. Or perhaps it stands for 'revolution', or 'revelation', or 'revenge', or something else. It doesn't matter to me."

Summer stared at R. This was their enemy?

"Hey, enough talk," Qrow growled, reaching for his weapon. "I still owe you for back in the forest, Mr. Mask, 'R', or whatever you call yourself."

R shrugged. "Apologies, but I am afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer for that. I only came here to retrieve an unruly subordinate."

From beside them, Buck had gotten up and retrieved his chainsaw-gun. Rather than attacking the group again, he leapt, snarling, next to R. "Don't think this is over," he rasped at them. "Next time, I'll make you suffer."

"As an apology for the headaches Buck has caused you tonight, I'll let you in on a secret," R said casually. "This craft is a special gift given to our cause by the Grandmaster." They spoke that name with an almost reverent tone. "It can completely disguise its presence underwater. The Grimm that I used to control poor Mr. Huang in the Emerald Forest was also one of them."

"I see," Raven murmured. "So it _was_ a Grimm, after all."

"The Grandmaster?" Summer asked. "We keep hearing that name, but who _is_ that?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with-not that you could ever comprehend the Grandmaster's brilliance," R replied coolly.

"Nnnngh…" Qrow was losing his patience. "You're really pissing me off, you know? Wanna get down from that toy and fight me, coward?"

R glanced back at him. "Ah yes, Mr. Branwen," they said dispassionately. "Really, your reckless behaviour is unsightly. And you wonder why we consider your dear sister to be more valuable to us." From within their robe, they pulled out a strange-looking rifle. Its barrel glowed a sinister shade of red. "Of course, if you really have a death wish, I'll accept your challenge."

"Done." Qrow leapt at R with his sword above his head, yelling.

"No, Brother!" Raven yelled. "That gun is-"

R chuckled. "Too late." They fired.

The bullet pierced through Qrow's chest, sending him flying back with a grunt of pain. He landed ungracefully on the ground, unconscious. He was bleeding.

"Qrow!" Summer yelled. She and Tai ran over to his side. After a few seconds, Tai sighed in relief. "It's not lethal, thank god. He'll recover."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I knew it. That weapon…has the ability to bypass Aura, doesn't it?"

"You really are observant, Miss Branwen," R said approvingly. "This, too, is one of the Grandmaster's gifts." They cocked their head to the side. "Shouldn't you be by your brother's side now, crying and begging for him not to die?"

"There is no need to worry about him," Raven replied calmly. "He has much to learn, but he is stronger than you seem to believe."

"Perhaps." R turned to Summer. "My master has taken an interest in you, Miss Rose."

"Me?" Summer looked up from Qrow's unconscious body.

"Yes. I was asked to observe you, you know. I was disappointed with what I saw of you at first, but if you could take out Buck, perhaps there really is more to you after all." R paused for a moment, then continued. "Ah, it seems the authorities are approaching. I suppose I'll be taking my leave."

Sure enough, there were sirens blaring in the distance.

Buck chuckled. "Heh heh heh...Looks like we live to fight another day!" The craft began to shake, as the door slowly closed.

"Wait!" Summer cried out. "Why is your master 'interested' in me?! Why are the Revenants recruiting Faunus? What the hell are you after? Who in the world _are_ you?!"

"My, my! So many questions!" R laughed. "Do not worry, I'm sure you'll have your answers in time. After all, I think we'll be seeing each other again… _very_ soon."

With that, the door closed on the two of them. The craft lowered slowly into the ocean, and was gone.

* * *

 **The plot thickens!**

 **I'm really looking forward to developing the story from here on out. Hope you all keep reading!**

 **(And leave a review, more feedback is always good :D )**


	11. A Plan of Attack

**Chapter 10: A Plan of Attack**

The police officer glanced quizzically at the three teenagers standing before him, and the one unconscious teenager being carried by his sister. Near the wreckage of the department store, the three surviving Faunus were being questioned by his subordinates.

"And what exactly were you all doing out this late at night?" he inquired.

"We were…j-just looking around!" Summer blurted out, stopping herself from saying, _We were on a top-secret mission from Professor Ozpin._ "L-look, we're students of Beacon Academy! We're Huntsmen!"

"Hmm, I see you're all dressed in combat clothes…" the officer admitted. "But I'd like some confirmation, if you could."

"Yeah, alright." Summer reached into her pocket. "I've got it right…huh?"

Her wallet was gone. _D-did I drop it somewhere?_ Summer panicked. _No, that can't be right! I had it with me when we first got here!_

"…Miss?" The officer was getting impatient.

"Pardon me. I'll provide identification." Raven pulled out a card from her coat pocket and handed it to him." It showed her name, personal number, and the pictures of her and her teammates. The officer nodded. "Okay, that seems alright. You four check out, I guess. So did you see this incident take place?"

"We did not. We merely came running when we heard the explosion." Raven's lying abilities were frighteningly convincing. "We did, however, arrive in time to aid these three gentlemen out of the fire without significant harm, though my brother suffered minor injury in the process." She nodded at Qrow, slumped over her shoulder.

"I see." The man wrote in his notebook. "In that case, you all did a great service…"

"Hey, Summer," Tai whispered to her. "What's wrong? You lost your ID?"

"Y-yeah…" Summer nodded anxiously. "I have no idea where I dropped it, though…"

"Could it have been that girl? The one who ran out of the store before it blew up?"

"Huh? You think it was her?" Come to think of it, the girl had been close behind her for a few seconds, and Summer's mind had been preoccupied with Buck at the time. _If it was stolen, I guess it could have been her._ "Maybe. I don't know where Raven teleported her to, though."

"I moved her inside the dumpster behind From Dust Till Dawn," Raven replied casually.

"A _dumpster?"_ Tai snorted. "That was kind of a dick move, Rae."

"It's relatively safe, in there, though. Most likely."

"Yeah, I'm not a fan of the 'most likely' part."

"Okay, then, I'll go get her." Summer sighed. "Hopefully, she hasn't already gone."

* * *

Summer stepped out of Raven's portal, finding herself behind the From Dust Till Dawn store. The experience hadn't been as uncomfortable as she thought; it really was just like walking through an open door.

She walked over to the dumpster and opened the lid. Sure enough, the girl was still in there.

"Okay…two hundred, four hundred Lien…" she murmured, looking through Summer's wallet. "Aww…it's not as much as I thought, but I guess it's okay..." She looked up, eyes widening in panic as she saw the young Huntress. "Ack! I-it's you…"

"Yep," Summer nodded sternly. "I'd appreciate it if you handed that over, miss." She tried her best to sound strict.

"B-but…" The girl looked up at her with adorable puppy-dog eyes. "Please, lady, I, um…don't have any money and I just wanna eat, and…"

 _So she's a kid from the streets, huh? Poor thing._ Summer sighed, trying to hold back her pity. "In that case, you didn't need to steal it from me, you know. You could've asked me."

"H-huh?" The girl looked surprised. "R-really?"

"Really. So little girl, what's your name?" Summer inquired.

"Autumn."

"Okay, Autumn, do you not have your parents with you?" Summer was pretty sure she knew the answer, but asked anyway.

Autumn shook her head. "Nope. I…don't have any. Never did."

"I see." Summer glanced sadly at the girl's tattered, messy clothes. _Even if I don't remember much about my parents, at least I knew them…_ "So…what were you doing at the department store?"

"I-I…wanted to pickpocket some people for Lien. I…I'm not very good at it." She sniffed. "When that scary lady ran in and started yelling a-about a criminal, I thought I'd been caught, so I ran out, and then…then…" She seemed on the verge of crying again. "So, umm…" she stared at Summer, terrified. "Are you gonna take your wallet back now…?"

"…That was the plan." Summer sighed again. Despite her annoyance at being robbed, she wasn't cruel enough to ignore a little girl living alone on the streets like this. "…But, after hearing about your situation, I guess you can keep some of the cash. I don't have much to be honest, though."

"Really!?" Autumn's eyes widened. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She began bowing down to her in a comical, childish way. Summer couldn't help but smile, a warm feeling seeping through her body from seeing the girl so happy.

"Alright, now how about I get you out of that smelly thing." Summer picked up Autumn and lifted her out of the dumpster, placing her on the ground. She handed her a two-hundred Lien card. "Here you go…Autumn. Get yourself something to eat, alright?"

"Yes! I will!" Autumn nodded enthusiastically. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh yeah! Did you beat that bad person?"

Summer smiled. "We sure did. It's part of our job, after all."

"Job?" Autumn turned her head quizzically.

"Yep. Me and my friends, we're Huntsmen-well, we're training to become them. Helping others and stopping criminals is what we do!" With a sudden burst of confidence, Summer pulled out her bow and aimed it dramatically into the night sky. "We're also the best fighters in all of Remnant!" _Well, most of us are, ahaha…_

"Wh-whoa! You're…so cool…!" Autumn gawked at her like she was the latest Grimm-VS-Hunters action figure. "I wanna be able to fight like that, too!"

Summer laughed. She was rather uncomfortable around children, since she'd often get bullied by her peers when she was little, but this young girl was different, somehow. Plus, Autumn's genuine awe of her was admittedly flattering.

"Maybe you will, one day," she said gently. "I have to go now, Autumn. Are you going to be alright?"

Autumn nodded. "Yeah! I have a super-secret hideout in the city where no one ever finds me! I…I hope I see you again…miss…um-"

"It's Summer. Summer Rose."

"Oh, okay! See you again, Mrs. Rose!" With that, Autumn ran off into the night.

 _Will she be alright?_ Summer wondered anxiously, watching her go. _There's not much I can do about it really...and if she's lived on the streets all her life she must know what she's doing…_

Summer sighed. At any rate, she'd gotten her wallet back. Still, she felt she wouldn't mind seeing Autumn again.

 _I need to get back to Beacon. The others are probably heading back now, and I guess I'll need to report to Ozpin…_

Summer frowned as she began to walk in direction of her school. The events of tonight were still bothering her-particularly one statement by the masked man, the one who called themselves 'R'.

 _My master has taken in interest in you, Miss Rose._

What did that mean? Who was this person Buck and R called the 'Grandmaster'? Why did they seem interested in her, in particular? She wasn't anything special, she was just an ordinary student at Beacon!

Summer shook her head, trying to block out those thoughts. It wouldn't do any good to speculate on things she still knew so little about. Right now, all that mattered was getting back before anyone else saw her.

* * *

It was lunchtime the following day.

The cafeteria was packed with students eating and talking at the top of their lungs. Summer honestly found it rather disruptive.

"It's really terrible what happened downtown last night," Heather murmured, glancing through the news on her Scroll. "To think the department store would be the target of a terrorist attack…it's terrifying to think about."

"And it was one of my favourites, too," Regal grumbled, pointing to his tux. "See this beauty? I bought it there."

Harriet nodded fearfully. "And since I'm a Faunus, I-I could hear the explosion even in bed. It woke me up. I don't know who would be so…so evil to…to kill all those people." She glanced over at Team STRQ, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "Did you guys hear it too?"

Tai shook his head, swallowing a mouthful of soup. "Nope. It's crazy to think about, though."

"I do hope the perpetrator is arrested soon," Raven added. "Though I don't think the police have any idea who's behind it and where they are."

"Well, at any rate, all we can do is pray that this incident gets resolved," Heather sighed. She frowned at Raven. "Where's your brother today, anyway? He wasn't at Grimm Studies class."

"He caught a fever last night," Raven said unflinchingly. "He'll most likely be in bed for a couple of days, but it isn't anything serious."

"Well that's good." Heather went back to her sandwich.

"Heeeey, you've been really quiet today," Regal grinned at Summer, showing off his perfect white teeth. "C'mon, say something, you're starting to remind me of Tory." He nudged Torrence affectionately, who was quiet as always, eating fish casserole without comment.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Just thinking about…uh, school stuff," Summer muttered, snapping back to reality.

After they'd met up back at Beacon, they'd rushed Qrow to the school infirmary. They'd expected the nurse to have many questions, especially why they were up so late, but surprisingly she'd simply nodded and put the injured student in bed. Summer suspected Ozpin had something to do with that.

 _So now, what do we do?_ She wondered. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get last night's incident out of her head. She wanted to do something-anything-about it, but she wasn't sure how to proceed.

She'd thought that it would be best to wait for further instructions from Ozpin, but that didn't satisfy her. She felt ready for action-she wanted to continue investigating the syndicate, Buck and R, and whoever the 'Grandmaster' was.

Summer glanced around the cafeteria. Heather was helping Harriet with History homework. Regal and Torrence were still eating. Tai was trying out lame pick-up lines on Raven, who was trying her best to keep a straight face. Over on a nearby table, Jin Shi-Huang and his teammates were making fun of random students.

It was a perfectly ordinary school day. Yet Summer couldn't help but feel that whatever they had gotten themselves into was anything but ordinary.

"I can't wait for the Vytal Festival Tournament," Regal said cheerfully, stabbing at a sausage on his plate. "Team HTHR's participating, obviously, and with Miss Champion over here and I, we've pretty much got this in the bag!"

"Oh?" Tai grinned. "Aren't you forgetting about someone? Maybe the coolest team in all of Beacon?"

"Funny, because I'm pretty sure I just mentioned them," Regal replied with a smirk.

Summer breathed a sigh of relief. Something normal to think about. The Vytal Festival-a huge celebration commemorating the end of the Great War over sixty years ago. It was held every two years, with one of the four Kingdoms playing host. This year, the host would be the Kingdom of Atlas.

The main event of the Festival was a large-scale tournament, in which students from all four Huntsmen Academies fought to claim the grand prize for their Kingdom. Every tournament always brought with it heart-pounding action and charming personalities that made each one unique.

Summer realized she'd probably be participating in the tournament this year. Mere weeks ago, she'd feel terrified at the idea. She still was, but now she felt confident enough to face such a grand challenge-after all, now she had her friends with her.

"At any rate, it wouldn't do for Beacon to lose, especially this year," Heather noted with a frown. "Considering that Ozpin himself will be observing."

"Whoa, seriously?" Tai raised his eyebrows. "But headmasters don't usually visit the other Kingdoms for the festival."

Summer was also intrigued. This was indeed a rare occurrence. _Does this have something to do with the Revenants problem?_

"That's true," Heather admitted, "but maybe he's making a special case this time. Ozpin _has_ known the headmaster of Atlas for a long time. I only heard about it from my father."

"Your dad?"

"Yes, he's rather well-known in Atlas. I never saw him much growing up, since I was raised in Vacuo by my mother. He does communicate with us from time to time, however. There was one time…"

The rest of the conversation was lost on Summer. Once again, all she could think about was the conflict she seemed to have been dragged into. First, there had been the attacks by the Revenants in Atlas, and then Vale. And now, Ozpin was going to visit Atlas for the Vytal Festival.

 _It could just be a coincidence,_ Summer thought desperately. But she doubted it.

Turning to Raven, she saw that the long-haired Huntress was staring at her intently. She nodded as she met Summer's gaze. _She must have the same idea, too._

"I think we're done here," Raven announced, getting up from the table. "We still have time before Science class, so I think we'll play Brother a visit. 'Get well soon' and all that." She gave Tai a significant look. "Isn't that right, team?"

"Wha-? But I'm not done my crepe…oh. Right." Tai sighed dejectedly. "Yeah, ok, let's go." He and Summer got up and prepared to leave with Raven.

"See you in class!" Heather called after them.

"I hope Qrow's not hurt too bad!" Harriet added. "Tell him to get better soon!"

"We will," Summer smiled, touched by her concern. "See you!"

With that, Team STRQ left the cafeteria, leaving Tai's apple crepe lying lonely and half-eaten on his plate.

* * *

"Goddammit, this is embarrassing," Qrow moaned, massaging his bandaged chest.

"Hey, hey, don't be a wimp," Tai grinned at him. "Are you really going to let a little wound like that get you down, Birdy?"

Qrow sighed. "It's not serious, but it still hurts like hell." He seemed to have accepted his nickname. "I guess this makes us even, huh?" he said to Summer, glumly.

"Hmm? Even for what?" she replied.

"I told you not to do anything stupid and that you were a weak little brat, but in the end _I_ was the one who screwed up and got hurt." He glanced at his wound. "I could tell…that masked man-R-he shot me in a non-lethal spot on purpose. To teach us a lesson. If he wanted to kill me, he would have."

He looked up at Summer. "You did good," he said grudgingly, "Sorry if I underestimated you."

Summer raised her eyebrows. Despite everything, she couldn't help but be amused. "What, you're finally apologizing to me?" she smiled at him. "Maybe you're not such a jerk after all."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!" Qrow spluttered.

"Come to think of it, it _is_ pretty weird," Tai smirked. "Okay dude, who are you, and what have you done to Qrow Branwen?"

Qrow glared at them, his face red. "Ugh…out of everyone I've ever met, I think I hate you all the most."

Raven, meanwhile, was eerily quiet. She was standing by her brother's bedside, lost in thought.

"Hello?" Tai inquired. "Earth to Rae."

"Er-ah, yes." Raven looked focused again. "Apologies, I was just thinking about…something. At any rate, shall we begin the meeting?"

"Meeting?" Tai looked confused. "Didn't we come here to check on Qrow?"

Summer, Raven and Qrow all stared at him in disbelief.

"You…really didn't realize?" For the first time, Raven looked genuinely baffled.

"You're…kidding me, right?" Qrow grumbled.

"W-w-what?"

Summer sighed. "Tai, we came here to discuss what happened last night. About the syndicate, and what we're going to do now."

"Oh, right!" Tai laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I knew that, I was just testing you, haha…"

"At any rate, there are several things to think about regarding this incident," Raven started. "It seems the syndicate isn't quite what we thought it was."

Summer nodded. "They're supposed to be targeting Faunus, but they have a Faunus in their ranks. They wouldn't do that if their motive was just discrimination like we first thought."

"Exactly." Raven smiled approvingly at her. "Well, at least we know more about their members." She took out a notepad and set it on the bedside table. "Tai?"

"Ah, got it." Tai pulled out a pen from his pocket and began drawing. "Ok, so they've got Buck London, a serial killer slash war criminal…" he said while drawing the middle-aged Faunus and his chainsaw-gun. "The boss of the gang seems to be that masked guy, who called himself 'R'…" he drew the mysterious figure next to Buck. "And _he_ seems to taking orders from someone he calls the 'Grandmaster'. No idea who that is, but they've got their hands on some crazy technology. _And_ R mentioned someone named Simon. Probably another underling of the syndicate." He drew two question marks on the paper.

 _His drawing skills are really good,_ Summer noted. "And that's all we have?"

"Guess so," Tai sighed, shrugging. "Personally, I think we should find out who R and this 'Grandmaster' really are. Any ideas, guys?" He looked around. Summer and Raven shook their heads.

"I might have an idea," Qrow grunted.

"Really?" Tai's eyes lit up. "Alright, let's hear it."

"That guy…had long red hair," Qrow explained. "Yesterday in History, we saw a picture of that Faunus girl who was killed before the war started…and she had the exact same hairstyle."

"Violet Fortune, right?" Raven frowned. "Now that you mention it, I see the resemblance. Are you suggesting-"

"No, Sis," Qrow sighed. "I don't think Viola-whatever is R. I don't believe in dead people coming back to life."

Tai raised his eyebrows. "That's not what Rae told me. In fact -"

"Goddammit Tai, shut up!" Qrow yelled. "Look, point is, I can't help but feel like this girl and the Revenants are connected somehow. I mean, she died, and the Faunus War started. Now it turns out one the syndicate's members is someone from that same war! Personally, I think that's too much to be a coincidence!"

"You're not wrong, it is suspicious," Raven admitted. "But we can't say for sure; after all, auburn hair isn't a rare trait."

"Hey, you want a lead, or not?" Qrow grumbled, laying back down on his bed.

Summer remembered how Qrow had seemed so intrigued by Violet's picture. So this was why.

"What about the 'Grandmaster'?" she asked. _The one who's so 'interested' in me…_

"No clue," Qrow shrugged. Tai and Raven also seemed stumped.

"Alright," Summer sighed. "So, what now?"

"Right now, our best course of action is to await further instructions from Ozpin," Raven replied immediately. "I'm certain he knows of our involvement in yesterday's incident. Soon, it will be time for all the first-years to choose assignments; and we'll just have to pick something that leads us to clues."

"But in the meantime, we'll keep investigating, in our own way," Qrow growled. He cringed from his wound. "Well, you guys'll probably get a head start."

"Sounds like a plan," Tai said cheerfully. Summer agreed.

"In any case, it seems that's all we can do for now," Raven concluded. "Come on everyone, or we'll be late for class." She turned towards the door; Summer and Tai followed.

"Just cause you're hurt doesn't mean you get to skip homework," Tai grinned at Qrow as he walked out. "Remember what happened to you in pre-school?"

"I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch…" Qrow moaned from within his blankets.

* * *

From inside headquarters, Buck angrily patched up his wounds.

"Those brats…" he muttered. "Think they're so tough…I'll get 'em next time."

From beside him, his comrade was shining his big black boots. "Well sir, we were supposed to wait for the order before-"

"Silence, Simon," Buck rasped. "Have you forgotten who your boss is?"

"Err…sorry, sir," Simon muttered nervously, his cat ears twitching.

"Anyway…I suppose we might as well test this out," Buck grumbled, staring at the artifact R had given him. He held it out in front of him, creating a small black-and-red void. He could sense a strange presence emanating from it.

"What the hell is this?" he exclaimed.

 _Greetings._ A voice came from within the void. _I believe this is the first time we've formally spoken to each other, Timber London and Simon Carabas. It is good to meet you._

"You're…the Grandmaster?" Simon asked, staring at the swirling shape in front of him.

 _That is the name your benefactor chose for me. I don't mind it,_ the voice replied. _R has informed me of the events that took place last night. How was your experience, Mr. London, or would you prefer 'Buck'?_

"It was all fine until those brats from the Academy showed up," Buck spat. "I'm not sure what you've been telling your lackey, but that girl in white doesn't seem to be anything special. Just another soft, pathetic human."

 _Ah, is that so? Then please, explain to me why you were so soundly defeated._

"They got _lucky_ ," he sneered. "They needed to fight me four-on-one to even stand a chance. I don't see how that makes her a 'danger' to the plan."

 _Nevertheless, they bested you, and you would have been finished were it not for R's arrival. In addition, you overstepped your boundaries and took action without R's order. I hope you understand this is the one time I will pardon your insolence._

"Kh…if you insist." Buck spat. "But then what in Frith's name am I supposed to do now?"

"Remain in the shadows, as you _should_ have done from the start," came a voice from behind. From seemingly nowhere, the masked man walked up to the two Faunus.

"R!" Simon exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

 _This is certainly a surprise, R,_ the Grandmaster mused. _Considering your position, is it really wise to join us at this time of day?_

"They won't suspect anything," R replied dismissively. "There are places and passageways in Vale even Ozpin is unaware of. You taught me that, Grandmaster."

 _Ah. So I did. To what do I owe this pleasure?_

"I'm here to make sure my _comrade_ hasn't gotten rebellious again…but while I'm here, I'd like to deliver some good news," R explained. "I've received confirmation that Ozpin will be visiting Atlas for the Vytal Festival."

 _Excellent,_ came the Grandmaster's voice. _The plan is proceeding perfectly. If all goes well, we shall snuff out both Vale and Atlas in a single strike. Continue with your preparations, R. And continue to observe Summer Rose._

"Yes, Grandmaster." R bowed.

"Wait a damn minute," Buck sneered. "How come _you_ get to do the dirty work while we're stuck here for months until the Vytal Festival?"

"Because I have yet to disobey the Grandmaster's orders, Buck," R replied coldly. "Can you say the same?"

"You insolent…I _hired_ you!"

"You did not. _We_ offered to lend our assistance to your cause. Do not mistake your place." R turned away. "I must go now. You two, use that artifact whenever you need to contact the Grandmaster. I will be out of touch for a while." With that, they walked out of the room.

"Good riddance," grumbled Buck. He turned to the Grandmaster's voice. "I'm not saying I don't appreciate your help, but I'm a suspicious man. Just who the hell are you, really?"

 _I'm someone who has a score to settle,_ the Grandmaster replied simply. _And I will stop at nothing to crush my enemy, and make them savour true despair. Really, we're quite the same._

"I doubt it." Buck looked dissatisfied, but did not continue his questioning. "Whatever the case, now we've got a way to talk to each other, so I think we'll continue this later. In the meantime, I'll begin boring myself to death." Angrily, he shook the artifact, causing the void to dissipate.

"Master Buck…" Simon said nervously.

"It's alright, lad," Buck rasped. Turning his head up, he laughed. "We'll bide our time for now. But once my dream has been fulfilled…those two will know what it means to try and control me. _Everyone_ will. Just wait and see. Heheheh…"

* * *

 _Within the infinite darkness, the thing smiled to itself. Whether it be humans or Faunus,_ _mankind never failed to amuse._

 _How passionate they were. What fire in their hearts as they pursued their beloved ideals._

 _What despair awaited them when they crumbled and fell against their destiny._

 _The thing laughed, a laugh that seemed to echo in every horrid corner of the universe, resonating in the darkest depths of reality, where even gods feared to tread._

 _Brave plans indeed…but what would come of them?_

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Simon Carabas is based off of the cat from Puss in Boots, as "Marquis of Carabas" was the name the cat chose for his master.**

 **Also, Timber 'Buck' London is a reference to author Jack London. A dog named Buck is the protagonist of London's _The Call of the Wild._ London also wrote a novel called...** _ **White** **Fang** **.**_ **Buck's** **first name is a reference to the IMI Timber Wolf carbine, and the grizzly-brown colour of timber wolves.**

 **Anyway, that's it for now, enjoy and leave a review!**


	12. Justice

**Chapter 11: Justice**

Sipping his coffee, Ozpin looked through the news. Naturally, the recent bombing in Vale had made the headlines. At least thirty confirmed casualties. No suspects had been arrested.

 _I see…so just as I suspected._ Ozpin reflected sadly on the lives that had been lost in the explosion. He wondered if it was possible that they could have been saved somehow. Even with all the Huntsmen in Remnant, evil could never be fully vanquished. Ozpin knew this better than anyone.

Team STRQ had done well-significantly better than he'd expected, considering the circumstances. A few days after the incident, Miss Rose, Miss Branwen and Mr. Xiao Long had come to his office to report.

"…And that's the gist of it," Raven had concluded. "We were unable to apprehend the culprits, I am afraid. We are sorry for this failure."

"There's no need to apologize." Ozpin had assured her with his usual smile. "You all did your best, including your brother-who, I assume, is not too hurt?"

"He will recover, hopefully, by the end of the week."

"I am glad to hear it. In the meantime, get some rest and return to your studies. When the time comes, I may ask for your assistance again. Please, do not tell anyone else about this matter."

"Very well." "Got it." With that, Raven and Tai had left.

"But…!" Summer wasn't satisfied. "What about the syndicate's members? We ran into Buck, and their leader, 'R'…and they mentioned the 'Grandmaster'. We still don't know anything about them, and-"

Ozpin raised his hands. "Please, Miss Rose, now is not the time. I hope you will not lose sleep over this incident. That wouldn't bode well for your studies, would it?"

"…Okay," she sighed. "I just…I don't want them to get away with what they're doing."

"I understand," Ozpin replied gently. "But for the moment there is nothing more you can do. For now, all you can do is continue with your life as a Huntress-in-training. Do you realize that?"

Reluctantly, Summer had nodded, and followed her teammates out of the office.

Now, Ozpin was sitting in his chair, his mind filled with the events of that night, his thoughts filled with sadness and apprehension.

 _She is strong. But not strong enough. Not yet._

 _Indeed, she has a difficult path ahead of her. And it is something she must face, eventually._

 _But today, she is still a child. And so, I must leave her to live as a child…for now._

* * *

The streets of Vale were as busy as they always were on a Sunday noon. Several months had passed since the terrorist bombing of the Low-Go Department Store, and life was back to normal. Among the masses was one individual, indistinguishable from everyone else in the crowd. No one could have known that this person, from time to time, donned a white mask, a red wig and a dark robe, and called themselves 'R'.

At the moment, however, they were someone else, living an entirely different existence. They walked up to a food stand by the pier and ordered a hot dog. The owner recognized her regular customer and smiled.

A minute later, they were walking downtown, eating lunch like any normal, law-abiding citizen. They looked around the city, admiring at what a beautiful day it was. _People really do thrive most in times like this._

Suddenly, their ears picked up. A rather heated argument was taking place someplace to their right. They couldn't help but listen on what they were discussing. _Hmm…perhaps …?_

They walked towards the alley near a small weapons shop, and hid behind a nearby wall. There was no one nearby, save for two men just outside the doors.

"I can't do that!" An old man in an oil-stained uniform, likely the shopkeeper. "I've got a damn business to run, y'hear?!"

"Sorry, sir, but we can't just ignore this," the other man, a young police officer replied calmly. "We've received too many complaints from your workers claiming you're overworking them. If you don't adjust their workload accordingly-"

"Like hell I will! My business is fine the way it is! They're just whining because they're ungrateful bastards who wouldn't find a job anywhere else!"

"Please, sir…" the officer paused. "…Does this have anything to do with that some of your workers being Faunus?"

"What about them?" the shopkeeper snapped. "They're just animals, so what if they work a little more than normal people, huh? It's what they're made for! Besides, I bet the Schnee Dust Company does this shit too!"

"Please, calm down, sir," the officer wrote something in his notebook. "You have three days to comply with their demands, or you will have to appear in court. With all the criminal attacks against Faunus lately, I'd advise you not to start any trouble. Good day." Without waiting for an answer, he walked away.

The shopkeeper spat at the ground. "Pheh…if they weren't working for me, I'd wish they'd all just die…" he walked back indoors.

In the shadows, R smiled. _What a perfect opportunity._ They reached into their pocket and pulled out the rat Grimm. "Time for another mission," they whispered.

Immediately, the Grimm melted into a thick black fluid, which flowed through the front entrance of the shop, and was gone.

 _Now…to wait and observe._

* * *

"Heads up!" Tai yelled at Qrow. "On your right!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Qrow grumbled, blocking a flurry of knives with his blade. "This stuff is nothing."

"Hey, do you have any idea how expensive these things are?" Regal replied indignantly, producing more combat knives from his pouch with a flourish. "Each one is crafted by hand in the most prestigious factory in all of Atlas, and each is adorned with the feather of a rare breed of swan! They're my pride and joy!"

Qrow sighed. "Save me the details, pal. Can we just get on with this?"

"If you insist." With five knives in each hand, Regal charged at him, and practice continued.

Summer leaned back on the grass and sighed contentedly. It really was a beautiful afternoon. The last few months had been rather uneventful-no word from Ozpin, nor any activity by the syndicate. It meant they could go on with school life as normal. And Qrow's injury had healed quickly. That was nice too.

Right now, it was just what she needed. All her worries about the Revenants seemed like a thing of the past. Taking a step back and focusing on her school life really had been the right choice.

After all, the students were in the middle of their break-it would be another week or two before second term began. It was a time for some students to relax and enjoy themselves, and for others it was an opportunity to train even harder than before in preparation for the Vytal Festival Tournament.

On this day, Team STRQ and Team HTHR had met up at a park close to Beacon Academy for some snacks and games. They'd sat down on a grassy green hill spacious enough for combat practice, or a friendly (and friendship-breaking) game of cards.

Qrow and Regal had scoffed at the idea of playing Grimm-VS-Hunters Trading Card Game ("It's for freaking _ten-year olds!"_ and _"_ Why would I play something that I can buy for two Lien at the local bargain store?") and were dueling near the bottom of the hill.

"C'mon Summer, time for Round Two!" Tai called to her. Sitting up reluctantly, she picked up five cards from her deck and glanced at them. One Archer, two Swordsmen, a Nevermore and an Ursa.

 _That's an okay hand,_ she decided. She didn't play board games or cards much, but this was one she was typically good at. The concept was simple: take out the other players' cards, losing all cards in your deck results in elimination, and the last man standing won.

"Let's begin." Heather adjusted her glasses, smiling. "I'm going first-I put down two Beowolves." She placed the cards on the table. "Since I have two of the same Grimm card, all Grimm get a 25 point attack boost on their first move."

"But…" Munching on some potato chips, Tai put down a Swordsman and a Soldier card. "Swordsmen are super-effective against Beowolves, and mine gets a 2x attack boost because of my Soldier's support ability!" He grinned. "Beat that!"

Wordlessly, Torrence played two Gunners. That was a particularly deadly combination-Gunners were the strongest class, and having two at the same time halved damage done to them. Summer cringed, remembering the various games she'd lost at the hands of that combo.

Harriet shuffled her cards uncertainly. "…My turn." Hesitantly, she put down an Archer and a King Taijitu. _Oh, crap! That's a rare Level 3 Gold card! It gets two attacks per turn!_

Summer looked down at her own cards. _I'm going to have to play this right._ "Okay, I'm going next." She placed a Swordsman and the Nevermore. The Nevermore was her strongest card, and the Swordsman had an advantage over its weakness, the Archer.

"…" Raven was still staring at her deck, confused.

"Rae? You playing?" Tai inquired.

"…I don't quite understand this game. Why are Grimm and Hunters fighting together? Why do certain cards have stronger stats? None of it makes any sense."

"Lighten up, Raven!" Heather laughed. "It's just a game, there's no need to take it so seriously. Here, let me see…" she looked through her deck. "Hmm…, you've got a Faunus card, they have the highest accuracy out of all classes, though they're rather fragile. Ah, you've also got a Creep and a Solider, they're the weakest classes, but they have extremely useful support classes-for example, the Creep halves damage done to the other card."

"...I…see." Raven still looked flabbergasted, but she put down her Faunus and Creep.

"Excellent," Heather smiled. "Then, shall we begin? I'll go first. I send my Beowolf to attack Harriet's Archer. Super effective _and_ a 25 point boost. 150 points of damage total."

"Heyyy, no fair!" Harriet pouted, wagging her tiny tail indignantly.

Now his turn, Tai, with a truly sadistic grin on his face, proceeded to take out one of Heather's Beowolves in one hit with a strike from his Swordsman. Heather scowled. "Now that is just disgusting. I hope they nerf Swordsmen in the next update," she complained.

And so, the game continued. Raven and Heather were the first to get taken out. Raven in particular didn't seem like she had any idea what she was doing.

"…Rae, you can't attack three times in one turn," Tai told her, trying not to smile.

"But why?" Raven grumbled, eyebrows twitching in anger. "Why would these fighters stand there and wait for their opponents' turn? This game is utterly ridiculous!"

"You're…actually serious." Tai sighed.

Meanwhile, Summer took another card from her deck to replace her fallen Nevermore. _Yes!_ She whooped internally. _A Gold card!_ She'd drawn the Level 3 Archer, the legendary Huntress Diana Crescend, one of the greatest fighters Remnant had ever seen. She'd supposedly had superhuman powers that exceeded Dust and Aura. And her card granted a support ability of a x3 attack bonus to Archers.

"So you guys ready for the school dance?" Tai asked, drawing another card. "Shame it got delayed till after the assignment, but hey, it's still gonna be awesome!"

"…Yup," Torrence nodded. It was always a surprise to hear him actually talk. "The refreshments will definitely be top-notch."

Heather glanced at him, exasperated. "You really just use that mouth for eating, not talking, don't you?"

"Haha…well, he's probably right," Harriet laughed. "I'm…looking forward to it, too, since I've never gone to a big dance before."

"What, didn't you go to the dance back at Signal?" Tai inquired.

"No…I wasn't there for much long. I jumped from school to school a lot before I settled on Beacon. All those academies looked good on my transcript, I guess…" Harriet sighed dejectedly. "It meant I didn't get to make many friends, though…"

"Well, you've got them now," Summer reassured her. "Oh, and by the way, we're all waiting on your turn."

"Ack! Oops, s-sorry!" she stammered, fumbling through her deck.

The game went on for about five more minutes. There were lots of close calls (and plenty of screaming and complaining) but Summer ultimately emerged victorious with a boosted attack from her Archer on Harriet's Nevermore.

"Aww…" Harriet sighed. "And I was so close last game, too…"

"Hey, just because your start off strong doesn't mean you win!" Tai (who'd won the previous round) laughed. "Good game, everyone!"

"I still don't get what's so fun about this game," Qrow grumbled, walking over to the group.

"I don't see how your violent video games are any better," Summer countered.

"Hey, don't compare your lame cards to Immortal Killers!" Qrow said while wagging his finger. "You don't get to see people ripped to bloody pieces while their entrails spill out in any other game, okay?"

"That's totally barbaric!"

"Wimp," Qrow sighed. "I bet you wouldn't beat me a game like that! Not even Sis can beat my high score."

Raven shook her head with a cocky smirk. "Don't you think you're overestimating yourself, Brother?"

"What's that, a challenge?" Qrow returned her look. "I'd like to see you try."

"Well, this sounds interesting," Heather said, interest piqued. "How about we return to the dormitories and try this new game out?"

Tai looked skeptical. "Uh, you sure about that? That thing's banned in two Kingdoms for a reason."

"Of course! Trying new things is the most important part of being a Huntress!" she smiled. "Come on, everyone, let's go."

* * *

About an hour later, all eight of them were crammed in Team STRQ's dormitory. Regal was passed out on Tai's bed, having stuffed himself on Tai's hidden food stash. Harriet was looking through Raven's novels, her face flushed an impressive shade of red, and her eyes fixated intensely on the pages as she flipped through them with lightning speed. Torrence, Qrow, Raven and Tai were taking turns playing Immortal Killers: Ultra-Violent Brutality Mode, while Heather was retching in disgust into a nearby trash can. Turns out the young Vacuo champion was extremely squeamish.

Summer, meanwhile, was sitting alone in the one unmolested corner of the room, trying to concentrate on her writing. It was impossible. To make matters worse, in the past hour, a mixture of bad table manners and sore losers' tantrums had terraformed the dormitory into a landfill. Food containers, books, action figures and more garbage was strewn across the floor. She pitied the poor soul who would have to clean the mess up (most likely herself).

On the TV, Qrow's character sliced Raven's into a thousand pieces, sending blood and guts splattering all over the screen. _SOARING NINJA WINS. TOTAL ANNIHILATION,_ came the announcer's voice.

"And I win again!" Qrow smirked, throwing his hands up triumphantly. "That'll teach you not to challenge my pro skills, Sis!"

"Nonsense," Raven said dismissively. "Repeating the same combo attacks over and over can hardly be considered "skill"."

"Hey, it's a legitimate strategy!"

Tai waved at the girls on the other side of the room. "Summer, Harriet, c'mon! Are you not gonna play at all?"

"…" Harriet was too fixated on her book to reply. Steam was coming out of her ears.

"Uh, thanks, but I'm fine." Summer shook her head. "It's not my type of game."

"Haha! More like you're just too much a wuss to handle it!" Qrow chuckled, still drunk on his victory. "Hey, if you're feelin' sick, join Glasses Girl over there in the trash can!"

Summer glared at him. "…On second thought, I'll make an exception this time." It was true that violence made her feel ill, but she wasn't going to take an insult from her uncouth partner sitting down. She walked over to the TV and picked up the second controller.

"Heh, guess you've got some guts after all," Qrow said with a grin. "Try not to cry too hard when you lose."

Gore aside, Summer had to admit the game was actually really fun. It was extremely satisfying to land attacks on her opponent, and to actually see and hear the impact instead of having to imagine it like when playing cards.

She got the hang of the controls quickly, but she was still no match for Qrow, who soon beat her 3-0.

 _SOARING NINJA WINS. TOTAL ANNIHILATION._

"Hell yeah! I am freaking awesome!" Qrow pumped his fist in the air.

"Good game," Summer sighed, shaking her sore red hands. "Ugh…that was exhausting."

Tai laughed. "Well, you're not a true gamer till you get your first blisters on your hands. It's an art few dare to master."

"You make it sound so epic," Summer grumbled, "when you're just mashing buttons."

"Ignore her, for she knows not what she says," Qrow grinned at Tai. "You seem to know your stuff, Blondie."

"Eh. I'm not that great," Tai shrugged. "But I do know a lot of great cheat codes that work with these games. For example, the nudity mod is 034369-"

"Alright, I'm glad we are all having fun, but I think that's enough for now." Her face pale, Heather interrupted the gaming fanatics' conversation and turned off the console.

"Hey!" Qrow protested. Heather ignored him, and turned on the news to Huntsman Everyday. "I'm going to check to see if that new pistol model has been released," she declared.

"A crime was discovered in downtown Vale earlier today," the newscaster was saying. A screenshot on the TV depicted a small machinery workshop. "The owner of Festus Gears was arrested on the charge of murdering four workers several days ago. A few hours ago, a customer smelled a foul, rotting scent coming from within the store, and contacted the police. The bodies were discovered in the storage room soon after, and the owner was arrested on the spot."

The news feed switched to several police cars surrounding Festus Gears, the area around the store blocked off with yellow tape. Paramedics were loading four body bags onto stretchers. An officer was handcuffing an elderly man wearing an apron.

"It wasn't me!" The man was screaming. "Please, I'm telling you, I'm innocent! I didn't kill them!"

"Not much else is known about the case at the moment," the newscaster continued. "other than that all four victims were Faunus. No motive has been discerned, though the factory has a history with overworking its Faunus employees."

Summer felt her body going cold. She had a feeling she knew where this was going. Beside her, Harriet had walked up to the TV, staring intently.

"The police also found this graffiti on the side of the factory." The camera panned to a shot of the Revenants' insignia on the factory wall. "Witnesses have noted that a similar symbol appeared on the Low-Go Department Store shortly before it was bombed by currently unknown terrorists. The symbol is also believed to be related to a string of crimes against Faunus that occurred in Atlas a few months ago, though the connection is unknown. In the meantime-"

Heather quickly changed the channel. "Er-I-I think we don't need to see anymore of that," she said, glancing nervously at Harriet.

"…" The rabbit Faunus was silent.

"Uh, so that was, um…" Tai was trying to think of something to say. "Uh, so, let's forget we saw that, eh?" He grinned sheepishly. Qrow shot him an annoyed look.

"Harriet?" Summer asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

"I…don't get it…" she murmured. "Why…does everyone hate us so much?" She looked ready to cry.

No one said a thing. The fun atmosphere in the room had all but vanished. Finally, Summer spoke up.

"Do you really think everyone hates Faunus?" she asked.

"Huh?" Harriet looked at her.

Summer shook her head. "Well, you're wrong. We're your friends, Harriet. We don't care if you're a human or a Faunus. Do you believe that?"

Harriet stared at the ground for a few seconds. "But…it's not just about me. So many Faunus are suffering, every day…and no one does anything about it. It's just not fair," she spat angrily.

"That's why we're here, remember?" Summer replied. "To make things right. We're here to bring justice to people who are wronged-and that includes the Faunus. Remember when I stood up for you against Jin on the first day? I'm not the only one who can do it. Everyone has the ability to help others. And you can help too. We all work together to make the world a better place for everyone. That's another important part of being a Huntress." She turned to Heather. "Right?"

Heather nodded, smiling. "You're absolutely right."

"That's exactly the type of corny shit you would say," Qrow muttered with a smirk. Torrence nodded in silent approval.

Summer felt a warm sensation through her as her friends smiled at her. What she'd just said was something she believed with all her soul, and she was glad to see everyone else agree.

"…Justice, huh?" Harriet was smiling now. "It sounds…a bit too good to be true." She wiped away a tear, looking at Summer. "But…thanks. I…feel better now."

"That's all that matters." Summer smiled back.

A few minutes later, everyone shook Regal awake, and Team HTHR left (without cleaning up their mess, naturally).

"That was some speech, Summer," Tai grinned. "Wanna try out for public speaking sometime?'

Summer shuddered. "In your dreams."

"Indeed, those were uplifting words," Raven said, stretching out her arms. "But some would classify them as nothing but wishful idealism from a fairy tale. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't one of them, to an extent."

"I know," Summer replied. "But it's still something I believe in."

Qrow sighed. "Yeah, this is great and all, but can we talk about the important thing? The syndicate has struck again! We need to do something about it, fast!"

"I don't think there's anything we can do this time," Raven pointed out. "This incident occurred days ago. It's unlikely we'll find any clues."

"Tch…but I still don't like not being able to do anything."

"Well, then we'll just have to wait a few more weeks," Tai said cheerfully. "Soon, it'll be time for our first assignment! I'm sure we'll get a lead then!"

Raven nodded. "He's right. Our chance is coming very soon. But for now, let's enjoy what's left of our break." She pulled out a DVD case from her pocket. "Why don't we continue watching Season 14 of Heartbreak: Ninjas of Love?"

" _ **NO!**_ " Tai, Summer and Qrow screamed in unison.

"Philistines," she grumbled.

* * *

 **This is pretty much a filler chapter. I felt I needed to portray Team STRQ and HTHR actually going about their daily lives and hanging out like friends would (unlike me, since I have no friends). Though it does set up a couple things that will come into play soon.**

 **I made up a fictional Remnant game because why not, it sounded fun.**

 **Diana Crescend is a reference to the Greek Goddess of hunting and the moon, Artemis (whose Roman name is Diana). She may or may not get mentioned again later down the line...**

 **Also, my schedule is pretty much screwed for the next month or so, as I'll be super busy with school. Until probably the end of May, updates will be more sporadic.**

 **With that out of the way, enjoy and leave ad review!**


	13. The City of Embers

**Chapter 12: The City of Embers**

Growling, Buck rammed his fists into his enemy's face, beating him into pulverized scraps of meat. When that wasn't enough, he readied his weapon and fired machine-gun rounds into the hordes of soldiers who were charging at him. The Dust-laced bullets combusted on impact, consuming everyone in an infernal explosion of energy. The last remaining soldier continued his attack and prepared to strike. The weapon's chainsaw blades cut him into shreds.

"Okay, that's done," he sighed, disappointed. "Simulation, deactivate."

The battlefield around him dissipated into nothingness, leaving him back in the dark, featureless room he reluctantly called headquarters.

"Nicely done, Master Buck!" Simon called out to him, reading a book on the sofa.

"This tech is impressive, but it's nothing compared to real fighting," Buck snarled, his muscles still twitching with adrenaline. "It's been months already…how much longer do we have to stay here?!"

"Be patient for just a little longer, Buck."

The door opened and R stepped in. "It's been a while, you two," they said conversationally.

"You don't know the half of it," Buck spat.

R ignored him. "Have you been keeping in contact with the Grandmaster? If so, I assume you're up to date on the situation." Simon nodded, and Buck grunted "Yeah".

"Excellent. That will make this quick, then. The Vytal Festival is almost upon us. Our plan has come together nicely so far, but we're still short one piece-the most important piece, in fact," they explained. "In a few days, we will claim it."

"Heh-heh-heh…now that's more like it!" Buck cracked his knuckles, grinning.

"I don't think I need to remind you both how vital this next mission will be," R said menacingly. "We will only get one chance. Do _not_ disappoint me."

"Hmph. Like I would!" Buck snorted.

Simon glanced at R skeptically. "Are you sure this'll work?" he questioned. "These are Beacon Huntsmen we're talking about, after all…"

"Don't worry," the masked figure chuckled. "I've been studying them, and I've been sadly disappointed. The Grandmaster seems to have greatly overstated their strength…or perhaps they simply don't make them the way they used to. They'll never have a clue."

* * *

"Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheatre immediately," came Professor Goodwitch's voice over the intercom.

"It looks like it's time," Raven announced. "This could be the opportunity that we've been looking for."

"Uh, can it wait, Sis?" Qrow grumbled, furiously mashing buttons on his controller. "I'm like SUPER close to beating the campaign on Nightmare mode and-"

Summer sighed. "I don't think that's our priority right now, Qrow."

"Sh-sh-sh. You could never understand the passion of a true gamer, partner."

"Ah, just quit it." Smiling, Tai unplugged the TV, shutting off the game.

"NOOOOO! My progress!" Qrow screamed like someone had just killed his best friend.

Summer checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed. _Food, check. Sleeping bag, check. Weaponry, check. Okay, looks like I have everything._ She swallowed her fears and followed Raven out of the dorm. Tai followed, dragging a complaining Qrow by the shirt.

Throughout the second half of their break, criminal activity from the syndicate had sprung up yet again. Most of them were small, disorganized crimes against Faunus-run establishments, like property damage and robberies. Unfortunately-or rather, fortunately-there hadn't been anything major enough for Team STRQ to get involved. Once school had resumed, the crimes had mostly stopped, and life had gone on as normal.

Now was the time for the first-years to pick their first assignment. Technically, it wasn't THEIR first, since they'd already been given that mission from Ozpin, but the idea was the same. _This is an important moment in my life as a Huntress,_ Summer thought to herself. _Syndicate investigations or not, I won't mess this up!_

Not to mention, for this assignment they'd be accompanied by a veteran Huntsman. It would be a fantastic learning experience, and a chance to show off what she'd learned to a real professional.

The four students reached the amphitheatre, which was packed to the brim with students. Looking around the room, Summer noticed groups of students wearing different uniforms. _They must be from the other three Academies._

"It appears everyone is here," Ozpin announced from atop the podium. "Then let us begin." A brief pause followed, and the headmaster began his speech.

"Vale, Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo. Four nations-the entire world-standing unified with a common purpose. Nearly sixty years ago, the people of this land were at each other's throats in the worst war in history. Countless lives were lost as nameless cannon-fodder in a conflict without end. It is truly a tragic irony that so many lost their identity as men in a war fought for their individuality. Indeed, we were fighting against the stifling of art itself-our ability to express ourselves. But on this day, all those years ago, this war came to an end, and an era of peace was ushered in. And to this day, we as the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant, will fight to protect this peace. The assignments you choose today will serve as an important step in your careers-so remain vigilant, and follow orders from your mentor. Now, do your very best, and remember-all of you are the future of this world."

Ozpin stepped off the podium, and the masses of students began wandering around the room looking at projector screens displaying assignments.

"Moment of truth, guys," Tai murmured. "Let's check the 'scout' missions first."

The four of them walked towards an area of the room that was less crowded. Nearby, Heather's team was glancing at a screen displaying a 'search and destroy' mission.

"Hey…how about this one?" Harriet suggested. "We can split up and clear out Grimm in various portions of the area."

Regal sighed. "Lame. This looks way too easy. Even a first-year at Signal could do something like this."

"B-but…" Harriet pleaded. "I want to take this one…"

"Well, if she insists, I guess we can't really deny her request," Heather smiled. "I wanted this one too, so it works out."

Meanwhile, Summer and company approached a spare screen displaying a strange ruins. The caption read, "Investigate Mysterious Grimm Sightings Near Pandora Village."

"'Mysterious Grimm', huh…reminds me of our masked friend's little pet," Qrow muttered.

"Hmmm…it seems like a plausible lead," Raven contemplated. "Especially since it's _this_ village we're talking about…"

"Aaand…" Tai flipped through the mission synopsis. "Apparently a bunch of Faunus merchants got attacked by these 'mysterious Grimm' on their way through the area. Jackpot!"

"Faunus…" Summer murmured. "Sounds like the syndicate, all right."

"Then let's do this." Qrow entered S-T-R-Q onto the screen, which promptly made a noise signifying that they'd been approved for the mission.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching. It was Professor Goodwitch.

"It looks like you've selected your mission," the young teacher noted, her face stern as always. "Pandora, hmm? I must warn you that this one is rather difficult for first-years."

Tai shrugged. "Meh. We'll wing it. How bad could it be?" he said while flashing a grin.

"And we'll be shadowing a genuine Huntsman, so it can't be that bad," Summer added. _It's not like it was ever going to be easy._

"I suppose I can't stop you." Goodwitch adjusted her glasses with a small smile. "Oh, and for the record, I am the Huntress whom you will be accompanying."

* * *

Ten thousand feet above ground, the aircraft rumbled and shook as it flew toward its destination.

"We're experiencing a bit of turbulence," Goodwitch announced. "Just hold on, we'll be there soon."

"Urgghhh…" Qrow clutched his stomach, leaning over the trash can. "There goes my breakfast."

Summer raised her eyebrows. "Are you…air sick?" She had to admit, it was quite funny. "But you can turn into a bird and fly and all that…"

"Ohhh…why d'you think I do that instead of this crap?" her partner growled. "Seriously, the engineers in Atlas are gonna kill someone with these pieces of junk one day."

"It really isn't _that_ bad…" Summer sighed. She turned to the professor. "I didn't think you'd be the one we'd be shadowing, Professor Goodwitch."

"And you're pretty young for a teacher," Tai added insensitively from his seat. "How old are you, Professor?"

Goodwitch seemed unmoved by her student's rudeness. "I only graduated myself two years ago. However, I can assure you my skills are more than enough to guide you through this mission. After all, Ozpin himself requested me to take it."

"Oh, so you're only five years older than us, huh?" Tai grinned. "Weeelll…what if I said that you're just my type?"

Professor Goodwitch shot him a withering glare. "Taiyang Xiao Long, please refrain from any more unsavoury comments or you will be sent to detention the moment we return."

"Heh! Shot down!" Qrow chuckled at his friend, still clutching his stomach.

"I've had worse," Tai replied.

Summer rolled her eyes, and turned her gaze to Raven, who was sitting in her seat reading a large book. She walked over to her. "Hey, what are you reading?"

"Hm?" Raven looked up. "Oh…this book belonged to my father. It's all about Remnant's history."

Summer glanced at the book. The pages were yellow and wrinkled, and the spine looked ready to collapse at a moment's notice. "It's, umm, really old, huh?"

"Oh, this isn't a book you can find in stores," Raven smiled. "It's something of a family heirloom. My great-grandfather was an archeologist, and he was around when Remnant was first founded. Much of what he saw around that time was documented in this book. It's practically an artifact."

"An 'artifact', huh? So it's like a relic from before Remnant's time? I bet you could make a lot of Lien off of it," Summer said jokingly.

"Perish the thought," Raven said, looking genuinely offended. "This book is very precious to my family, after all. I was reading this just now because I thought I could find some information on the rat Grimm R had. It could be a species thought to have died off years ago."

"And…have you found anything?" Summer asked skeptically.

"…No," Raven admitted.

About thirty more minutes passed before the aircraft began to descend. By the time they landed, it was almost evening.

As Summer walked out, she took in the scene before her. "Whoa…" she murmured in shock.

This was no village-it was the ruins of a large village. There was wreckage of where buildings and houses once stood. Debris was scattered all around the area. The ground was utterly barren, and all the trees surrounding the ruins were withered and dead. And the entire area was painted a deep ash-gray. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, it was a hauntingly beautiful scene.

"So this is the infamous Pandora Village, huh…?" Qrow muttered.

"Correct," said Professor Goodwitch as she walked out of the aircraft. "One of the first established settlements when Remnant was formed. It was also one of the first to fall."

"What…happened here?" Summer asked.

"Ahh, in a week or two, you would have learned it in History class," Glynda responded. "In that case, allow me to give you a preview course. As you should know, when Remnant was first formed in the ashes of the old world, in order to combat the growing threat of the Grimm, mankind searched for various ways to defend themselves and rebuild. With the aid of artifacts and long-lost technology, Dust was created. Of course, it was a while before they were able to manufacture it in the easily usable form we all use today. There were many prototypes that were more powerful, but were ultimately deemed inefficient to use, whether it be because they were too unstable to be safe for work, or because consistent production was simply impossible. Some of them were stored away in case desperate enough measures arose that they would be needed. One such was kept here. It was called-"

"Promethian Ore, a primordial form of modern-day Fire Dust," Raven interrupted. "It was mentioned in my great-grandfather's book."

Glynda nodded. "While I don't appreciate being interrupted, I'm glad to see you've heard of it. That will make this quick, then. The Promethian Ore was one of the first Dust prototypes and was, without exception, the most powerful form of Dust to ever be made. However, its power was deemed too great, as it could cause untold destruction if a war between humans ever broke out. As such, only one crystal was ever made, and it was handed over to Pandora Village, a peaceful town away from much of the Grimm conflict, for safekeeping. Unfortunately, eventually the villagers' curiosity and greed overpowered them, and they decided to use the Ore for their own purposes. They attempted to cut the crystal into smaller pieces." She gestured around at the ruins. "This was the result."

"Holy shit…"Tai looked shocked. "One crystal of that thing destroyed an entire village?"

"Not quite." Professor Goodwitch took out her Scroll and tapped on the folder labelled 'artifacts'. She brought up a picture of a large neon-orange crystal, twice as big as mainline-produced Dust. A tiny dent was barely visible near the top.

"From what we can gather, the villagers cut off a miniscule piece from the crystal. The fragment became unstable from being separated from its whole, and detonated, wiping Pandora from the face of Remnant in an instant."

"Jeez…" For once, Tai was lost for words. He simply stared at the wreckage of Pandora, awe in his eyes.

"But how come no one ever cleaned it up?" Summer inquired. _I can't believe something like this actually happened once…_ "Or tried to rebuild the village."

"The ruins became a hotspot for Grimm activity after the tragedy, and it still is one today. But the main reason would be…superstition," Glynda responded with a frown. "To many, Pandora is a reminder of how dangerous power can be, and how easily it can corrupt good men. They believe the area is cursed, and attempting to rebuild it will bring death and destruction. Some refer to it as 'the City of Embers.' Other than wandering merchants, virtually no one approaches or passes through the ruins."

"And the Promethian Ore?" Qrow asked. "What happened to it?"

"It was eventually retrieved from the rubble without a scratch on it from the explosion. As for where it is now…" Glynda adjusted her glasses warningly. "That, Mr. Branwen, is classified."

"Classified, huh?" He reached into his pocket. "How about handing over the intel for the small price of five-hundred-"

"No bribery."

Qrow shrugged. "Eh. Was worth a shot."

"At any rate, it's getting close to nightfall." Professor Goodwitch began walking towards the ruins. "The lesson is over. We'll be making camp as soon as possible."

The five of them wandered through Pandora, stealthily avoiding any contact with Grimm. There was no sign of any 'mysterious' Grimm as the request had mentioned. Finally, they approached a building that was slightly less demolished than the rest.

"We shall camp here tonight," Goodwitch declared.

"Uh, here?" Tai asked, looking around in confusion. "It's still kind of broken and all…"

Without responding, the professor raised her wand, and the fragments of the building rose up and pieced themselves together into something resembling a stable structure. "Yes. Here."

They settled in, and set up their sleeping bags in a room on the second floor. While eating sandwiches, they discussed their plans for the next few days.

"It's too late to go out and investigate today," Professor Goodwitch said. "Get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we will comb every corner of the ruins to search for the 'mystery Grimm'. You will likely have to fight many enemies. Don't disappoint me, or you disappoint the entire Academy."

"Gee, no pressure," Qrow muttered.

"This has been one of the busiest years for Huntsmen in a decade," she explained. "Many of the senior students have also been dispatched to deal with various incidents across Remnant. We all need to play our part, and that includes you." She shot a quick glance at Summer before looking away. "Goodnight, you four. Be ready to get up at six tomorrow."

* * *

Night had fallen. Qrow, Tai and Raven were all fast asleep. Summer, however, was wide awake. Looking out the window, she saw the stars and moon illuminating the night sky. Half of the moon was broken into large chunks, as it had been since time immemorial. No one knew why it looked like that.

Summer glanced over at Professor Goodwitch, who was reading her Scroll on the other side of the room. _Now might be a good time to ask some questions._

"Professor?" She called out.

"What is it, Miss Rose?" the professor responded immediately.

"You're…" _Where should I start…?_ "You're close to Ozpin, right?"

"'Close' is one way to say it, I suppose. Despite my young age, I am a close confidant of his." She looked at Summer. "Is there a reason for this question?"

"W-well…" Summer stammered. "I…I've always got the feeling that Ozpin has been, um, watching me. I don't know why…it's just a feeling. I was wondering if you knew anything about that."

"…" The professor was silent. Finally, she spoke.

"I can't ease your worries in that regard. But I'll tell you one thing. This assignment was meant specifically for you four."

"Huh?"

"If any other team had picked it, it would not have accepted them. Ozpin wanted your team to take this mission, and I was assigned to it so I could observe you."

"W-what…" Summer's head was hurting. "But why?"

"…I'm afraid I can't answer that. Not now, anyway."

"I don't understand. Is there something…unusual about me? That's the impression I've been getting. It's been bothering me for a while."

"You'll understand one day-but not now. Right now, you have a job to do." Glynda smiled at her student. "You're Team STRQ's leader, Miss Rose. For now, all you need to do is to lead them into the life of fine Huntsmen."

"…Yeah." Summer nodded. "I got accepted into Beacon, after all. I can do that. Maybe I'll find out one day."

She hadn't gotten exactly what she wanted, but it would have to be enough for now. She got into her sleeping bag, and fell asleep.

* * *

The screaming awoke her. She got up with a start, and looked around her. Her teammates were already up. Goodwitch was nowhere to be seen.

"Hwwahh…wuzzzat…?" She murmured sleepily.

"Someone's in trouble!" Tai yelled, running for the stairs. "Grimm! The professor's down there fighting them off!"

Qrow grabbed his sword. "C'mon, slowpoke! Get your lazy ass up and let's go!" He and his sister ran after Tai.

Complaining, Summer picked up her bow and arrow and Dust crystals, and went down the stairs.

Outside the building, Professor Goodwitch swung her wand, raising large pieces of rubble from the ground and flinging them at hordes of Creeps. Occasionally she shot out rays of purple Dust energy, vaporizing multiple Grimm. There were at least thirty of them, but she was defeating them with ease.

"Whoa…" Summer murmured. No wonder Glynda Goodwitch was considered such a prodigy.

"So wait, where'd the scream come from?" Tai asked.

"That way." Raven pointed to her right. "I can sense someone. They're in a large amount of distress right now."

"Go!" Goodwitch yelled. "I'll join you in a minute!"

The four of them ran in the direction of the scream, and soon came across a young Faunus merchant running towards them.

"Oh, thank god!" they screamed joyfully. "Huntsmen! I'm saved!"

"What the hell happened to you?" Qrow asked him aggressively. "We could hear you screaming from a mile away!"

"G-Grimm…" the man was practically sobbing. "There were two others with me, but they…"

"How many Grimm are there?" Raven inquired. "We will deal with them to the best of our ability."

"J-just one, but…"

 _Just one?!_ "Okay, where is-"

Suddenly, the merchant screamed. He reached for his throat, gasping for breath as he began to float above the ground.

"What the hell?!" Tai nearly fell over.

The man flew backwards several feet, still floating. A large Grimm materialized out of thin air, grabbing the man's throat.

"It was invisible?" Qrow yelled.

Even Raven looked shocked. "How…I couldn't sense its presence at all!"

The Grimm resembled an Ursa, but there were differences: it was much larger, it had more armor covering its pitch-black fur, and its eyes were a sinister bright shade of purple rather than the normal molten-red of most Grimm.

"Looks like we found our 'mystery Grimm'!" Tai exclaimed, raising his fists. "We gonna fight it?"

The Grimm growled, and held the Faunus in front of it, its hand clutching his head as if it was going to crush it like an egg at any moment. The merchant was frozen in fear, unable to even scream.

 _It's using him as a meat shield!_ Summer realized. _But…I thought Grimm were mindless attackers! They don't have any intelligence! This shouldn't be possible!_

"Dammit!" Qrow snarled. "If we attack, that guy's dead!"

Suddenly, another growl came out of thin air. To the right of the giant Grimm, another purple-eyed Grimm uncloaked, looking just as powerful as the first.

" _Another_ one?!" Tai exclaimed in disbelief.

Raven gritted her teeth. "It's like being hit in the face with raw malevolence…!"

Summer's heart was racing. "W-w-w-what should we do?" She stammered, hands shaking so badly she couldn't even reach for her bow.

"You're the leader, aren't you? Can you not even make such simple decisions?" A familiar voice rang out. Summer's heart sank.

"Oh, you have got to be _shitting_ me!" Qrow yelled, recognizing it too. "Why now, of all times?"

The masked figure materialized in between the two Grimm. Unlike them, it didn't seem like they had just uncloaked-rather, they really hadn't been there a moment ago. Summer was certain that beneath the white mask, the figure was smiling smugly at their prey.

"It's been too long, my friends," R purred. "Allow me to make up for lost time."

* * *

 **I uploaded on schedule this time, but starting this week until halfway through May I am going to be busy as hell, so don't expect many updates. So what better way to start the hiatus than with a cliffhanger, eh? :P**

 **I think I might have rushed the plot too much this chapter, but I really wanted to get to this part of the story where I start to add my headcanons of how Remnant came to be.**

 **Enjoy and leave a reivew!**


	14. Breaking and Entering

**Chapter 13: Breaking and Entering**

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I said I'd be going on a hiatus until partway through May, but I have time for one more. I really will be taking time off to focus on school now, though. It's a good time as any, too, since I really need to pause and take time to improve my writing skills. Looking back on what I've written so far, I can't say I'm too proud of the pacing and I feel some parts are just...missing something, I guess. I'm not too sure. I've got this great story all planned out, but I'm having trouble telling it properly...if that makes any sense.**

 **I've been trying to get some inspirations from other great RWBY fics like Michael7123's 'When Allied Together' and FourNails1341's 'Long Road Home'. I'd say check them out if you haven't already, they're both post-Volume 3 stories with excellent writing and faithful characterization. They're filled with intriguing ideas that I could honestly see being tackled in the canon series.**

 **Anyway, thanks for understanding, and enjoy!**

* * *

 _I'm sure there's ways things could have gone worse,_ Summer thought. _…Nope, I can't think of anything._

The four of them were cornered by two gigantic, armoured Ursa Grimm who could turn invisible, one of them was holding a Faunus merchant hostage, ready to kill him at any moment, and their enemy was standing in front of them, gloating at their predicament. It didn't get much worse than that.

"Ooooo-kay, guys," Tai muttered nervously. "Let's just hold out and the professor'll come and help us-"

R shook their head. "That won't be happening, sadly. The Grimm I dispatched should keep her busy long enough for me to…take care of you four."

Tai winced. "Urk…dammit…"

"Yes, it seems you've really backed yourselves into a corner this time," R said mockingly. "Unlike our last meeting, I'm afraid I won't be so lenient."

Qrow gritted his teeth. "You sure have a way with pissing me off, you know." He prepared to draw his sword.

"Are you certain that will be the best course of action?" R asked. "Have you forgotten about my little advantage?" Beside him, the giant Grimm tightened its grip on the merchant's head. The Faunus whimpered in terror.

"Bastard…" Qrow muttered in frustration.

Summer stared at the scene before her in disbelief. "The Grimm you 'dispatched'?" she yelled. "Are these Grimm… _obeying_ you?!"

"Of course!" R laughed. "It's a skill that comes in handy in quite a few situations…like this!" They snapped their fingers, and suddenly multiple growls could be heard from close by. Summer and company looked to their left, and saw around twenty Grimm leaping over the edge of a nearby building. Within seconds, they were completely surrounded.

"Oh, now this is just ridiculous!" Qrow growled in frustration as the Grimm slowly approached them.

"So, uh…got any ideas?" Tai whispered (rather loudly).

"Well, even if we did, if we say them out loud, he'll hear us!" Qrow hissed.

"Yeah, but we need to think of something!" Tai replied, agitated. "We can't attack him when he's got a hostage…"

Raven drew her katana. "Not necessarily."

"What?" Tai stared at her.

"Even with these numbers of Grimm, the four of us can take them down without much trouble. Then we flee from the two giant Grimm and their master as fast as possible. We can even escape through a portal, provided I have an opportunity to activate one."

Tai gulped. "O-okay, sounds alright…but what about the hostage?"

"What about him?"

"Eh?" Tai and Summer were both taken aback.

"At this rate, it will be his life against ours. And if we fall, he'll likely be killed anyway. Personally, I'm not fond of those odds. If we need to sacrifice a single person to save all of us, so be it."

In front of them, the merchant continued to struggle fruitlessly against his captor's grip.

"What?" Summer yelled. "We can't do that! Th-that's not how Huntresses do things! We're supposed to protect the w-"

Raven turned to look at her. Her eyes were hard and stern. "Summer…you may have a kind heart, but you never grew up fearing for your life every day. And you haven't seen enough of the world to know that good people-yes, even Huntsmen-can act cruelly. If you're displeased with how I do things, I can take all responsibility for-"

"Th-that's not the issue here!" Summer snapped. She'd always felt that Raven was a little distant but she'd never seen her so…cold.

"Hate to say it, but she's right," Qrow mumbled, looking conflicted. "It might be our best option."

" _Qrow!"_

R laughed. "What, fighting amongst yourselves, now? I thought not being eaten was your immediate priority."

Sure enough, the Grimm were getting ever closer to them. Team STRQ slowly backed up against each other. Raven was preparing to shoot at the giant Grimm-hostage and all.

"Rae, you can't…!" Tai pleaded.

Summer was silent. She glanced at the giant Grimm as he held the merchant hostage.

The creature's paw, like the rest of it, was abnormally big. It was also noticeably less armoured than the rest of its body. There were small chinks barely large enough for an arrow to fit through.

 _If I shoot its paw…it might release the hostage in its pain,_ she deduced. _And then, we can get Raven to teleport him to safety. Then we can fight freely!_

But her plan was far from perfect. If she missed, the hostage was dead. No question. And the area where she could hit the giant without her arrow bouncing off harmlessly was rather low. But if she readied her bow in the direction of the giant's paw in order to steady her aim, R would notice. And there was no telling what they'd do.

In other words, she'd have to hit a tiny target without properly aiming. And the punishment for failure was the death of an innocent person.

 _I can't do this…it's too big a risk…I'll just mess it up,_ she thought despairingly. Yet deep inside her, she felt a strange sensation. Determination and adrenaline were pumping through her body. The sensation felt tangible-sentient, even. _Yes, you can do this,_ it seemed to be whispering. _You were destined to do great things. This is nothing to you._

… _Alright. I'll give it my best shot!_ Swallowing her terror, Summer took a deep breath and reached for her bow.

"Summer, no!" Tai yelled.

"Oh?" R chuckled. "It seems your comrade's words have reached you. She's not wrong, after all."

"…" Summer ignored them. Without aiming, she stared intently at the giant Grimm. She analyzed the layout of the creature's paw, determining what spot would be the best to aim for. The process came surprisingly naturally to her. _…Okay. I'll shoot…there._ She looked up and stared the Grimm square in the eyes. For a second, she could have sworn the beast took a small step backward, its revolting, inhuman eyes twisting into an emotion resembling…fear.

"Summer, please don't do this!" Tai was pleading.

"…" Qrow said nothing, but stared at his partner thoughtfully, as if he could tell what she was planning.

 _Okay. Here goes nothing._ Without warning, Summer swiftly aimed her bow and fired it at the beast's paw.

The arrow hit its mark perfectly. The Grimm howled in pain, and released its hostage. The Faunus merchant collapsed to the ground, antlers first.

"Raven, now! Get him to safety!" Summer yelled. "Qrow, Tai, fire at will!"

Raven nodded, and promptly summoned a portal with her katana. "Get in! Now!" Nodding, the merchant walked in.

"Eat this, you bastards!" Qrow changed his sword into its gun form and fired several heavy bullets into the horde of Grimm. Tai turned around and began pummeling his enemies into powder, activating his Semblance for some extra strength.

"Tch! Well, well, not half bad," R said, holding their hand out, generating a golden glow of energy-Aura. "The trial has concluded. Now comes the execution."

"Looks like it's time to get the hell out!" Qrow yelled. "Run, run, RUN!"

There was no need for him to say it. Summer turned and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Whenever a Grimm got in her way, she promptly shot it down with an arrow.

"There's nowhere to run." Out of nowhere, R materialized in front of the four Huntsmen and flung a small gold crystal at them. Upon hitting the ground, the crystal exploded in a burst of pure Aura, sending everyone flying.

"Ugh!" Summer hit the ground. _That was an Aura Capsule!_ Like Harriet, the masked figure could use this high-level Aura technique. And it seemed like they had the ability to teleport! _So much for running. We won't get out of this without a fight!_

Without wasting a second, Raven picked herself up and threw herself at the masked figure, launching a flurry of sword strikes. R blocked them all with the Aura resonating from their hands.

Tai joined the fray. "Hrahh!" he shouted, throwing several powerful punches at his foe.

Meanwhile, Summer and Qrow were occupying themselves with the two giant Grimm. One of them ran towards Summer with surprising strength, and she barely dodged in time.

"Well, you took care of that pretty well!" Qrow called to her. "Can't fault you for your guts, at least!"

"Ha! It was a piece of cake!" Summer replied, lying through her teeth. "Turns out you can solve problems without hurting bystanders-who knew?"

"Hey, that wasn't _my_ idea, it was Sis'!"

"Well, we could use some ideas now!" she yelled at Qrow. "How should we take down these Grimm?"

"Break its armor!" her partner yelled back. "Heavy attacks like explosive arrows and my blade should weaken it!"

"Got it!" She prepped her quiver with Ice-Dust arrows and fired at the Grimm. The impact brought forth bursts of freezing energy that encased the beast's armoured belly in ice. The Grimm growled angrily, its movements greatly slowed by the extra weight. "Smash him up!" Summer called to Qrow.

"Heheh! Good thinking…for a girl." Grinning, Qrow transformed his sword into its cannon form and began firing rounds into the beast's frozen armor, shattering it into pieces. "Watch out for the other one!"

Sure enough, the other Grimm was charging at them now. Feeling more confident than ever, she shot another Ice arrow, freezing the ground in front of her. The creature howled as it stumbled on the ice and fell over on its side. Before it could recover, Summer launched several arrows directly into a small chink on the Grimm's side. With a loud growl, the beast's body shuddered and dissolved. Beside her, Qrow swiftly impaled the second giant with his enormous scythe.

The remaining hordes of Grimm were beginning to retreat. "We did it!" Summer whooped.

"Not yet," Qrow grumbled. "We still gotta deal with-"He turned around, and his eyes widened. "Oh shit! Sis! Blondie!"

"Huh?" Summer turned, and sure enough, Raven and Tai were both lying on the ground, defeated. R stood above them triumphantly. _He took out Raven, too?_ Without hesitation, she fired an explosive arrow straight at the masked man's face.

"Too slow." R raised his hand and caught the arrow in mid-air. It was so fast Summer hadn't even seen it. _No way._ In that split second, they'd even managed to apply just the perfect amount of pressure on the projectile to prevent it from exploding on impact. _Just…what is this guy?!_

The masked man threw the arrow back with just as much speed as if it had been fired from a bow. The explosive projectile flew straight towards Summer. _Oh crap!_

"Hey! Watch out!" Qrow yelled, jumping in front of her, his sword raised in a defensive stance. Summer braced herself for impact.

Suddenly, she felt someone's hand grabbing her from behind. Before she could react, she felt herself flying several feet away as the arrow exploded harmlessly where she had stood seconds ago. Her rescuer released her and stood to confront R.

"Ughh…" Summer moaned as she regained her balance. Beside her, Qrow was also safe and getting back on his feet.

"Stand back," said Professor Goodwitch calmly. "You've all done quite enough."

Relief filled Summer's heart. They were saved.

R assumed a strange battle stance. "Hmmm, an enemy I'll have to fight seriously? I didn't expect to see that today." They began to glow with a strange power, something that felt similar to Aura, yet unmistakeably different.

Wordlessly, Glynda swung her wand, generating violet beams of Dust energy. The projectiles flew at R from all directions. R quickly dodged out of the way, but even with their speed they had difficulty avoiding all of them.

"Hrahh!" Extending their palm forward, they fired a ball of sinister-looking dark matter. Glynda summoned a large purple barrier using her wand, blocking the impact. Even so, the energy ball's explosion generated an enormous wave of sound, caused cracks in the ground beneath it, and knocked Summer and Qrow off their feet.

Without so much as a pause, Glynda and R continued their duel. Energy beams and explosions flew and rang out everywhere. It was a truly epic spectacle of power, but Summer wasn't inclined to stay and enjoy it.

"We need to go!" she yelled to her partner. "Let's get back to our shelter!"

"Don't need to tell me that!" Qrow muttered through clenched teeth.

The two of them ran around the ensuing chaos, picked up the unconscious Raven and Tai, and made their way back to base as fast as possible.

With her students out of the way, Glynda could fight at full strength. Using her Semblance, she lifted large chunks of rubble from the ruins with her wand.

"Hmph," R muttered. "It looks like Ozpin has taught you well, professor."

Glynda did not respond. She swung her wand, and her projectiles flew at the masked man, who surrounded himself with a shield of the dark energy. The rocks bounced harmlessly off of it. Immediately afterward, the shield dispersed, and the energy manifested itself as four large black portals. Hundreds of energy spears came flying out of them.

"Tch!" Glynda summoned her shield once more, attempting to block all the projectiles. However, they began to take a great toll on her. She'd barely deflected the last spear when her shield shattered into pieces and dissipated. She stood there, gasping for breath.

"Are you finally out of energy?" the masked man inquired mockingly.

Glynda did not answer, but rather said: "Those techniques of yours…no school in all of Remnant could have taught you those. That, and how easily you control that forbidden energy…I'd thought you were nothing more than a low-class criminal, but it seems Ozpin was correct about you-and who you serve…"

"Hah, it's good to see some appreciation for my hard-earned skills," R chuckled. "Of course, if I was really trying, you'd already be dead, professor."

Glynda narrowed her eyes. "Why did you come to these ruins? Ozpin and I decided to personally investigate once we suspected your syndicate of acting in Pandora Village, but I still can't understand what your purpose here was!"

R shrugged. "Oh, please don't make me out to be some diabolical mastermind. It's not that complicated. Really, I'm just bait."

"…Bait?" Glynda was confused. "But for wh…."

Suddenly, a wave of horror hit her, nearly knocking her over. "No," she gasped. "You can't mean…"

"And at last, realization dawns," R laughed. "It was a hassle causing enough havoc around Remnant to have all competent Huntsmen forced out of the Kingdom, but it looks like it was worth it."

"Impossible…" Glynda whispered. "No one should have known about that…"

"Well, if you don't believe me, why don't you go back and see for yourself?" R asked smugly. "Provided, of course, you are not already too late." With that, they disappeared into thin air.

Glynda was left standing there, fear and panic overwhelming her.

 _Forgive me, Ozpin. We've made a grave mistake._

* * *

Summer and the team waited in the building anxiously. Upon returning, they'd discovered the merchant there and had quickly escorted him out of the area before heading back. Raven and Tai had woken up soon after.

"Dammit…" Tai grumbled. "Can't believe I was taken out so easily…"

"Now you know how it feels," Qrow sighed. "Three times and I _still_ haven't gotten him back. So much for third time's the charm-not that I ever believed in that crap, anyway."

Raven was totally silent, but anger was clearly visible in her eyes. Defeat wasn't something she was used to.

Summer was silently pondering what had just happened. They'd found their mystery Grimm, all right-the gigantic armoured Ursas who could turn invisible. That was certainly a terrifying thought.

If that wasn't bad enough, the masked figure could control Grimm. Summer had always been taught that reasoning with Grimm in any form was impossible. And then R had taken down Tai and even Raven with little effort. She was beginning to see just how dangerous their enemy actually was.

And then there was that sensation she'd felt as she'd prepared to shoot the giant Grimm's paw. A strange feeling of adrenaline that was completely unlike her. It had compelled her to take that extremely risky shot, but she wasn't sure that was a good thing. After all, what if she had missed and ended up causing the hostage's death?

Suddenly the door burst open, interrupting her thoughts and Professor Goodwitch ran in. Her face was uncharacteristically agitated.

"We need to return to Beacon!" she yelled. "At once!"

* * *

The elevator doors opened, and the young guard walked out onto the floor of the Cross-Continental Transit Building at Beacon Tower. It was a majestic structure that towered above the entire Kingdom. It kept the network connections between the four Kingdoms online, and it also contained an enormous vault were valuable items were stored.

Adjusting his cap nervously, the guard walked over to his superior, a balding old man, who was leaning against the wall, enjoying a smoke.

"Sir…?" The guard asked.

"Huh? What is it?"

"Well…" The guard pulled out a business card from his pocket. "There's a strange man on the ground floor who wants to withdraw something."

"Okay..." his superior muttered. "Then why didn't you just guide him there?"

"That's the thing, sir. He, um…wanted access to Vault 57."

His superior's eyes widened. "What? Vault 57...? Who is this guy?"

The guard handed him the card. It read, _White Fang Treaty Oversight Committee-Representative._ "The guy looked really scary. I, uh, don't think he's going to take no for an answer."

"Well, he'll have to," his superior grumbled. "No customers allowed in there-period. Especially not some Faunus scum. Boss' orders."

"Err, what's actually in it?" the guard inquired.

"I don't know myself. None of us do. Apparently it's been locked since this place was first built. The headmaster at the Academy, he deposited it and asked that no one ever go in." He took another cigarette. "Or that's how the story goes. I could go in if I wanted, but I know better than to disobey orders-especially from Ozpin himself."

The guard raised his eyebrows. "You…have the key to Vault 57, sir?"

"Hrmm? Of course I do! The highest-ranked employees like myself have all the keys, because we can be trusted with them!" His superior glared at him. "Why do you even care?"

"No reason," said the guard, and shot him.

The silencer on the pistol masked the gunshot. The old man fell against the wall and slowly slid to ground wordlessly, as blood trickled from the wound on his forehead.

Pulling off the cap, Simon twitched his cat ears, trying to sense if anyone was approaching. It seemed no one had heard the shot.

"Well, that was easy," he muttered, smiling. R had really thought this whole thing through. First they'd had Buck run himself ragged around the Kingdoms, stirring up as much trouble as possible. Right now he was supposed to be holding some children hostage at the local hospital. Vale was already in chaos with all their previous attacks, but now law enforcement had fallen into complete and utter panic. Then, R themselves had baited Professor Goodwitch into leaving the Academy to investigate something. It was hilarious how easily she and Ozpin had fallen for it. And at this time of year, most students were out doing their assignments. All noticeable threats to the plan were out of the way.

Simon pulled out his scroll and texted Buck and R to tell them he'd infiltrated the Tower. Taking a deep breath, he took the key he needed from the old man's corpse. Everything was set for the mission.

His target was the contents of Vault 57...an artifact that had been stored away long ago for the safety of the citizens of Remnant. A crystal containing unfathomable destructive power, a small fraction of which had once destroyed an entire village.

It was known as the Promethian Ore.


	15. The Next Step

**Chapter 14: The Next Step**

* * *

 **A quick, shorter-than-usual chapter for everyone. Quick question: Do you like shorter chapters that quickly progress the plot, or longer chapters that are more descriptive? Anyway, thanks for reading, I need to get back to studying. Feedback is appreciated.**

* * *

Being evil wasn't as difficult-or as fun-as it seemed.

Simon checked his, map of the building breathing a sigh of disappointment. For a vault meant to store some of the most important assets in all of Remnant, it seemed like all that talk about the intense security of the CCT was just a bluff to scare petty thieves out of attempting to steal from it. And it worked for the most part.

But to Simon Carabas, the young mercenary thief who had stolen precious documents from the Kingdom's parliament and instigated multiple political scandals for his clients? No security system on the continent could scare him.

Before long, he'd reached the door to the Vault. It looked the same as all the other rooms, a green door on which a keypad and microphone were mounted, and two red lights on the wall next to it. If the intelligence R had provided was correct, there was a myriad of traps lying within to trap any aspiring thieves. And that was assuming they got past the lock.

Determining that there was no one nearby, Simon knelt down and began hacking into the lock. He'd taken the time to hide the body of the guard in an empty Vault, it wouldn't be long before someone discovered they were missing.

"Two…four….one…one…zero…" he muttered, punching in the numbers on the keypad.

One of the red lights turned to green, signifying that the lock was half open.

"Remember the schematics for the traps," Simon muttered to himself, retrieving a small mouthpiece from his pocket. He put it to his mouth. "Testing…testing."

The voice that came out was not his. Rather, it was indistinguishable from that of Professor Ozpin. He put his mouth to the microphone and muttered one word: "Olympius."

There was a pause, and then a computerized voice rang out: _Voice and passcode verified. Client: Professor Ozpin._ The door swung open.

If anyone else had walked in, they would have died in the first few seconds. Simon slowly walked across the room, stepping only on the "safe" tiles. One wrong move and he'd be pumped full of bullets from one of several hidden turrets. He reached the other end of the vault where his target lay.

The Promethian Ore. The orange crystal emanated a strange, ominous beauty that was almost otherworldly. Simon couldn't help but marvel at it for a second. Only a second, though. Making sure to disable the explosive trap underneath, he grabbed the Ore and thrust it in his pocket. _Job's done then._

Simon, sneaking out back the way he came, locked the Vault with the stolen key and promptly strolled out of the CCT Tower, with no one any the wiser.

He had left one last surprise, though, on the roof of the tower. He smiled to himself as he imagined their reactions…

* * *

The aircraft rumbled and shook from the pressure of the surrounding wind as it flew towards its destination at full capacity. Within the craft, the tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

"The Promethian Ore is at Beacon?" Summer asked, dumbfounded. It was hard to believe that such a dangerous weapon would be located so close to home.

"So it was all a distraction," Raven murmured. "Damn. We all fell for their little trap."

"Ghhh…." Qrow was slumped over pathetically in his seat, trying not to throw up. "Why won't you just kill me 'lready…" he moaned.

"Specifically, it's stored in a high-security vault at the CCT Tower," Glynda said through gritted teeth. "Its location was supposed to be one of Remnant's most well-kept secrets, and yet…"

"W-well, if it's high security, then that means no one can get in, right?" Tai replied, trying to sound hopeful. "There's probably, like, a hundred death cannons and lazer machine guns ready to blast any intruders, right?"

"Normally, I wouldn't be concerned," Glynda admitted. "Unfortunately, this may well be a special case, considering…" the professor fell silent. It looked like whatever was on her mind, she had no intention of sharing it with the four rookies.

Summer inspected her equipment. _This has all been a lot to take in._ "Do…do you think we'll have to fight them?" she asked.

There was a pause, then Glynda sighed. "No…it looks like there won't be a point. We're too late."

"Huh?" Summer looked up. A hologram was showing the scene just outside the aircraft. They had reached Vale. The CCT Tower was right in front of them. And a large, red symbol was being projected into the air from its apex.

A pig's head with a sword running through it-the mark of the Revenants. "Oh, no…" she murmured.

No one spoke a word. It was quite clear what had happened in the tower.

The Promethian Ore, one of the most destructive artifacts in all of Remnant, had been stolen.

* * *

It was evening. Team STRQ sat silently in their dorm room. Somehow or other, Team HTHR had found their way in there with them.

Taiyang was the first to speak. "So, uh…that didn't go well."

"I mean, yeah, if you wanna put it _lightly,_ " Qrow grumbled.

"Well, we had a great time!" Regal was lounging on Tai's bed, grinning. "The Grimm were actually pretty tough, and Harriet got lost for a couple hours, but overall it was way better than I thought!"

Qrow sighed. "Good for you, pal."

"There's always next time, you know," Heather chimed in. "Maybe all eight of us can go together!"

"I don't think that's allowed for first-years…" Harriet pointed out, scratching her tail. "I'd like it, though."

"Actually, we were talking about, y'know, the city getting ROBBED by a crime syndicate while we were away,"Qrow snapped.

"Oh." Harriet looked downward. "That's, um…that's bad, too."

Raven, Summer and Torrence simply sat on the floor without a word. Raven in particular had plenty on her mind.

Outwardly, she looked calm as ever. Inside, though, she was seething.

Raven Branwen was not used to losing. Or failing in general. Because when she did, it shattered the "cool, wise, graceful badass" act she'd spent her whole life perfecting. She was supposed to be the best. It was what she had been taught to do-no, what she'd been _born_ to do. But how could she be the best when she'd been beaten by a lowlife criminal wearing an idiotic-looking mask?

 _Calm yourself,_ she thought. _You are better than this. Think about where you go from here. Plan your next move with cunning and logic, just like you were taught._

Even with her physical loss, not everything had gone wrong for Raven today.

All this time, she'd been putting together all the clues in her head-about the syndicate, their goals, and the mysterious R.

The erratic and violent crimes.

The lack of knowledge on their members beside what little they had on their leaders.

The mysterious rat Grimm that could take control of people.

The syndicate's apparent hatred for Faunus.

The Faunus War ten years ago.

There was something else behind it all-an enormous secret that someone was determined to keep hidden from the world. Raven understood the sentiment. She had plenty of her own secrets.

The pieces were slowly falling into place, as it were. However, it still wasn't enough. _This is maddening,_ Raven thought angrily. _I feel like I'm so close to the answer…as if it's right in front of me…but I'm missing something. One final link._

Suddenly a thought popped into her head. _Should I ask…? If anyone knows the answer, it would be-_

She shook her head. _No. I simply can't. If I did, everything I've done over the past seven years will be put at risk. I promised myself I would never…_

But at this point, she realized she had few other options. The enemy's plan was approaching its climax. Raven had experience with foreseeing these types of things. Whatever the risk, she had to act. _Now._

She took a deep breath. _Brother…I'm sorry._

She took out her scroll and, obscuring it from everyone's view, wrote three words.

 _I need something._

After a moment's hesitation, she pressed the "Send" button…and her message was transmitted to the last person she'd ever ask for help.

* * *

Midnight had arrived. Three people were having a small, evil meeting in an abandoned warehouse near the docks.

"And so phase two of the plan is complete," R announced. Clasped in their hand was the Promethian Ore. "Well done, both of you. You performed admirably. That taunt with the symbol was certainly a nice touch, Simon."

The cat Faunus grinned. "Well, I wanted to have some fun with the job. Breaking into a high-security vault is a lot more boring than you'd think."

"Ah, now this was my type of operation!" Buck growled, stretching his arms out. "A shame humans break so easily. Was plenty more I coulda done with 'em."

"I'd prefer if you didn't go into detail." R said flatly. "Either way, I've upheld my end of the bargain-I helped you obtain what you required. I presume you will now commence the final stage of the plan?"

"That's right." Buck stood up. "And since _I'm_ the one in charge now, I'll take over the mission briefing."

R shrugged. "I have no objection."

"Good." He activated a projector in front of him. The image of a high-tech floating stadium was displayed in front of all of them. "You all know what this is, eh?"

"The Vytal Stadium, where the Vytal Tournament is held," R answered. "It was constructed after the Great War to serve as a symbol of peace and unity."

"Aye, that's what we're told! Too bad the real story is a little less pleasant than that fairy-tale gibberish." Buck laughed. "See, maintaining something like THAT needs, well, a lot of energy. Making it as fancy and garish as it is needs even more."

"It's powered with Gravity Dust," Simon added. "A rare form of Dust energy that can twist the laws of physics themselves. That's how it manages to levitate. The stuff's _quite_ valuable in the black market."

"Ah," R nodded. "I believe I understand the situation. Something like that should have enough raw power to cut open the Promethian Ore. And if the Ore were to detonate at the centre of the Vytal Stadium…"

"Kaboom!" Simon made an exaggerated motion with his hands.

"We'll show 'em how much their 'symbol of peace' is REALLY worth," Buck snarled. "And if we're lucky, we'll take out half the damn Kingdom down with it. When the dust has cleared…we can finally reveal ourselves to the world!"

"Mmm." R seemed completely nonchalant. "An…ambitious goal, if nothing else."

"Isn't it?" Buck laughed. "Now you understand why supporting our cause was the best option, eh?"

"Though at least ask yourself this," R continued, standing up. "When did I ever say I was 'supporting' you?"

"What…?" Buck stared.

"Just a suggestion," R laughed. "Well then, you two, goodnight. I look forward to seeing the conclusion of our little game." With that, they teleported away.

"…Tch. He sure loves getting the last word in, hmm?" Buck growled. "Well, fine. You, too, shall see my full grandeur in time." He walked over to the drawer on the side of the warehouse.

R was likely just messing with him. But still, the masked man had always made him feel uneasy. And if they were to turn on him once they had gotten what they wanted-whatever the hell it was…

Perhaps the situation called for a little insurance policy.

Buck retrieved a small ornate bracelet from the drawer, with a beautiful, immaculately round black jewel in its centre. He inserted it onto his left arm.

 _I'll carve out a new age for this world with my own hands…and_ nothing _will stand in my way._

It was time to play his trump card.


	16. Under the Stars

**Chapter 15: Under the Stars**

"That'll be five hundred Lien, please," said the cashier sleepily, holding out her hand. An expensive-looking dress lay on the counter.

Under most circumstances, those words would have given Summer about ten heart attacks. She'd never cared for fashion trends, and the absurd prices of those extravagant outfits was proof to her that people of rich aristocrat families were insane. Mercifully, she had a bit of help today.

She'd spent the whole weekend training with Heather. Determined to improve her aiming speed with her bow, she'd gotten herself shot about fifty-seven times trying to stop the gunner Huntsman's bullets in midair. Once she'd gotten over the stinging pains, she'd noticed a considerable improvement…probably.

Afterward, Regal and Harriet had joined them and began discussing tomorrow's dance.

"So what are you wearing to the dance, Summer?" Regal had asked. Summer had responded that she didn't have any fancy dresses.

"Whoa, now that will NOT do!" the young man had replied, in comical shock. "Hey, here, take this-it's on me!" He'd handed her a two-thousand Lien card.

"I-I really can't…" she'd protested.

"No excuses! Not wearing something fancy to a dance is one of the worst crimes you can commit! Harriet's getting one this afternoon, too, so why not go with her?" Reluctantly, Summer had accepted. And that was how she'd ended up in a stuffy, crowded fashion store on a Sunday afternoon.

"That's a good choice," Harriet said quietly. "I guess," Summer muttered as she paid for her purchase.

Even with her non-existent fashion knowledge, the dress' beauty was undeniable. It was a sleeveless white gown, with a silver tint. Bright red jewels decorated its sides. Still, would it really fit her? She'd only picked it since it seemed less extravagant (and cheaper!) than the others.

Harriet laid out her dress-a light red piece with brown lacing-on the counter. The cashier looked up. "Seven hundred Lien," she murmured, still half-asleep. Harriet paid the amount.

"Wait," Summer frowned, examining the price tag on the dress. "Isn't this dress only six hundred?"

"O-oh! R-right, of course!" the cashier stammered. "I…I didn't notice!" they claimed, with all the authenticity of a street magician. "H-here, miss, take your change."

 _I knew it. She tried to rip Harriet off since she's a Faunus,_ Summer thought, disgusted. _Not on my watch._

A minute later, the two Huntresses walked out of the store, and Summer took a deep gulp of the wondrous, perfume-free air.

"Umm, you didn't have to do that, you know," Harriet stammered. "I don't really care if…"

Summer shook her head. "Don't say that," she said gently. "It's a duty for a Huntress to fight injustice, remember? _And_ to help your friend save some money!"

Harriet laughed. "Haha, fair point." She paused for a moment. "So, um…you ready for the Vytal Tournament?"

"I'm not sure," Summer admitted. "I'm definitely getting better, and I'll have my teammates to back me up, but I don't know if we'll actually win. I think you guys have a good chance, though."

"Really? I mean, Heather's pretty much a genius, and Regal and Torrence aren't half-bad, either, but….I don't know if I can…"

Summer laughed. "Don't sell yourself short. You beat me once, remember? You're fast, you can use Aura Capsules, and you have that intangibility thing, right?"

"Hmmm?" Harriet looked confused. "Oh, you mean my Semblance. Yeah, that lets me avoid attacks, but it's kinda hard to pull off, so I don't use it that much. By the way, what's your Semblance, Summer?"

"Well…" Summer looked down. "I don't use one."

"Huh? Doesn't every Huntsman have a Semblance?"

"No, no, I'm sure I HAVE one, I just haven't…figured out what it is yet." She sighed. "It makes me feel a bit pathetic, being around everyone who already knows what theirs is."

"…Oh." Harriet murmured. "W-well, when the right time comes, it'll come to you!" she said reassuringly. "Remember, you Semblance depends on your personality, so maybe that's a clue to what it is…?"

"Maybe." Summer was still skeptical. _I really don't want to talk about this._ "Hey, it's still early afternoon, want to get some ice cream?"

"Oh, sure!" Harriet smiled. "I know a good place on-"

 _Smack._ Something hit her in the back of the head. "Ow!" she muttered. The projectile was a small rock.

Summer turned around sharply, looking for her friend's attacker. _Another person discriminating her?_ Once she saw who it was, however, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, miss!" The little girl stammered, running over to them. "I didn't mean to hit y-" She saw Summer. "Oh! Hi, Mrs. Rose!"

"Hey, Autumn!" said Summer cheerfully. "What are you doing out here?"

"Practicing." Autumn showed her the small slingshot in her hands. "I made this myself. I've decided to train and be a Huntress like you!"

"That's…great." She laughed. _Uh oh. I hope I'm not being a bad influence on her._ "But…don't shoot at random passerby, okay? That's not how Huntsmen work."

"I-it was an accident!" The girl pouted. Suddenly, she noticed the dress Summer was holding. "Ooooh, that's so pretty!" she squealed. "What is that?"

"Just a dress," Summer said with a smile, showing her the gown.

"Woooow!" Autumn looked delighted as she fondled it. "It looks so soft and comfortable…."

"Well, try not to steal it," Summer said chidingly. Suddenly, she thought of something. "Hey, Autumn, you might be able to see me on TV in a few days."

"Huh? Really?"

"Really. My team's participating in the Vytal Tournament this year. I don't know how well we'll do, but cheer for us, okay?"

"That sounds amazing!" Autumn laughed in excitement. "Umm, and Mrs Rose? Can I ask something?"

"Hmm? Sure."

"Well…" the girl looked hesitant. "Can I…live with you?"

"Huh?!" _Well, I wasn't expecting that._

"Th-the place where I normally live is being…" she paused. "Ren-Vaded. I…don't really have anywhere to stay."

"Oh…" Summer was filled with sympathy. "…I'm sorry, but non-academy personnel aren't allowed inside the Academy. I do have a rented place in Vale that I stay when school's off, though," she said. "When the semester ends, I can take you there."

"Really?! Yay!" Autumn jumped up and down in joy. "Okay, I'm gonna go now, Mrs Rose! I can't wait to see you win the tournament!" With that, she took off down the street.

"You know her?" Harriet asked.

Summer nodded. "Yeah. Her name's Autumn. She's a street girl I met once. She's really cute, isn't she?"

"She really is," Harriet laughed. "Anyways…do you want to go for that ice cream?"

"Sounds good to me."

Chatting cheerfully, the two of them made their way to the ice cream store.

* * *

It was the following night.

Nervously, Summer stepped into the dance room. "Whoa…" she murmured.

It was like stepping into another world. Beautiful ribbons of an infinite number of colours were hung all around the room. A large disco ball hung from the ceiling, casting bright lights onto the dance floor in perfect sync with the music blaring from the speakers. The entire scene was decorated with a wallpaper depicting an intricate night-sky settings. The constellations and nebulae looked shockingly realistic. It actually gave the feeling you were floating around in space.

Most of the guests were already there. Summer looked around for her friends while trying to look insignificant.

"Heeeeeeeeeeey, Summer!" Tai called out to her, waving from within the mass of bodies. "Over here!"

"Coming!" Nervously, Summer made her away over to him. Upon seeing Tai, she noticed he'd straightened his normally messy blond hair. He was wearing a simple but charming black tuxedo with a rose on the lapel. She could smell the scent of perfume on him. _Whoa…I never realized how handsome he is,_ Summer thought, trying to hide her blushing.

"You look great!" He laughed, flashing his perfect white teeth. "Now, then…shall we" He held out his hand.

"Huh? What?"

"Let's dance." Tai grinned. "Let me show you my expertly-honed tango skills, Xiao Long-style!"

"Ummm…" she stammered. _How do I get out of this one?!_ "I…really can't dance, so…"

"Don't gimme that! You just have to try!" he grabbed her hand. "Look, if Birdy can do it, so can you!"

"Eh?" Summer looked where he was pointing. Sure enough, Qrow was dancing with Raven. The elder Branwen twin was as graceful as ever, but Qrow looked as comfortable as an Ursa in a taxidermy shop. His "dancing" consisted mostly of stepping awkwardly from side to side, his shoulders looking uncomfortably stiff. Even better/worse, he wasn't even dressed formally-he was still wearing his usual messy grey jacket.

The sight made Summer feel a lot better about herself.

"Fair enough," she sighed with a nervous chuckle. "I don't have much choice, do I?" She took his other hand.

"Not at all," Tai smiled at her. "Come on, the night's still young!"

The two of them danced to the music. It was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Tai wasn't exaggerating, he really was good at dancing, and he certainly made up for her complete incompetence at the activity. Slowly, her nervousness faded like mist on a sunny day.

"You're getting better! Keep it up!" He encouraged her.

"Y-you think so?" she laughed. "I don't really feel like I've improved. I'm surprised that you're actually this good."

"Hey, I said I was good, you know! When did I ever lie to you?"

Summer smirked. "We could START with the time you claimed you won the Signal Tournament four years in a row, but you actually never made it past the preliminaries."

"Ouch! An arrow to my heart AND my pride!" Tai gave an exaggerated sigh. "You sure know how to hit a man where it hurts, Summer."

"Please don't say that," she muttered. "You know," she changed the subject. "That tux of yours looks nice. Is it yours?"

"This? Nah, I just bought it yesterday," Tai laughed. "Same as yours, and dang, do you look stunning in that thing! You've got great taste in dresses!"

"I, um, wouldn't say that." _Do not blush, do NOT blush,_ Summer thought furiously. "It was just the cheapest thing I saw." She looked down at her gown. "It IS nice, I guess. The red gems are a nice touch."

"They really are. They're called…rubies, I think." Tai mused. "Hey, is one of them missing?'

"Huh?" Summer had barely looked at the thing before putting it on, but sure enough, there was a conspicuous gap between two rubies on the sleeves. "Where'd it…" She didn't think she'd dropped it.

She recalled the other day, when Autumn had lovingly fondled the dress. _Did she…why that sneaky little…_

"Ahaha, a friend of mine, um, took it," she laughed.

"I see," Tai smiled, before looking away with a strange look on his face.

Suddenly, a thought popped into Summer's head. "Hey, Tai…why did you want to study at Beacon?"

"Huh? That came out of nowhere."

"Well, you asked me that the day we met." Summer explained. "When I said it was because I wanted to…not have to rely on others all the time, you got this really weird look on your face. I've kind of wanted to ask you the same question all this time, but never got the chance."

"Oh, I see." Tai grinned awkwardly. "Alright, I'll talk." He put his hands around her waist as the number changed to a slow dance.

"It's really not some tragic drama or anything," he began. "I really just came to Beacon because I…wanted to make more friends. I heard it was the biggest of the four Academies, so…"

Tai sighed. "I never had any friends growing up in Vale, which leaves a handsome young man like me without much in the way of confidence. I always felt like I needed other people to confirm to me that I was worth anything. That's probably why my Semblance is what it is."

Summer nodded. "Yeah…I can see how you feel." _I can't imagine someone as nice as Tai not having any friends though…_

"And, well…" Tai hesitated. "When you gave me your answer that day, I, uh…misunderstood. When you said you didn't want to "rely" on others, I thought that meant you just didn't want anything to do with other people. Period. That you liked to be left alone. And that bothered me, cuz' that's the exact opposite of how I felt."

"But…" he shrugged. "Now I know that's not the case. And I got to make some great friends-you, Birdy, Rae, Team HTHR…and now I know that that's what you really wanted, too."

"Th-that's not the case!" she protested. "I was shy, and I really DID want to just be alone back then…"

"Ah, nonsense. Once you started interacting with people, like me and the team, or even with that asshole Jin…it became obvious, y'know?" Tai grinned at her. "You're not shy, Summer! You just didn't have enough experience with talking to people! And now look at you-Don't say you're not a million times more talkative than you used to be!"

Summer laughed. "I guess…you're right. I'm surprised you could see through me like that…" She felt a new sense of appreciation for the blonde Huntsman.

"That's just my manly charm! Works every time!" Tai said cheerfully. He stepped back and stretched out his arms. "Whooo, that felt great! Think I'll take a breather and-" His eyes widened. "Hey-hey, looks like Rae's free! This must be my lucky day!" He ran off towards her.

Summer rolled her eyes. _Still a player, though._

"Ughhh…" Qrow walked over to her, groaning. "That was friggin' painful. I'm NEVER dancin' again."

"I'm not sure whatever you did could be called "dancing", you know," Summer joked.

"Oh, har har," he grumbled, scratching his back. "Like you're one to talk. You're not gonna look for someone else to drag down with you?"

"Funny." Summer brushed aside the insult. "No, I'm pretty tired myself. I think I'll go get some punch. Want to come with me?"

Qrow shook his head. 'Nah. I'm headin' back to my dorm. This party shit is gonna give me a goddamn coronary, and the latest update for Kingdom of Warfare just came out. I'm outta here." Waving goodbye, he walked away, still grumbling under his breath. _Well, he's as cheerful as ever._

Summer wandered over to the punch table and poured herself a glass of People Like Grapes.

"Enjoying yourself, Miss Rose?" A familiar voice came from beside her. It was Ozpin.

"Yeah." Summer smiled. "I didn't think I'd have this much fun, honestly. Dancing isn't my thing."

"I wonder about that," said the headmaster conversationally, sipping his coffee like always. "We all like to claim we are incapable of certain things, when the truth is we simply never attempt it. And if we never attempt it, we will always remain incapable. The tortoise that pushes itself forward, bit by bit, runs faster than the rabbit that thinks it is too slow and thus refuses to move."

"I...don't really understand, but it sounds wise," she laughed. "I really did try to dance, though. I guess it's just not for me."

"Perhaps. But there was also a time when you thought you'd never make it to this point, wasn't there?" Ozpin pointed out.

"That's true," Summer admitted. "I guess my hard work paid off, huh?"

"Mmmm." The old man closed his eyes for a moment. "I am glad to see you are as calm as you are, Miss Rose. Are you not worried about the syndicate's activities?"

"It IS worrying," she said quietly as that sensitive topic was brought up again. "But I don't want to rush in like we did with Pandora. If we do, we'll just fall for another trap. Besides, we know too little about what they have planned with that Promethian Ore thing."

"Wise thinking." Ozpin nodded approvingly. "I can assure you, Miss Rose, that they will not attempt anything for now. When they make their move, I will inform you, if that is what you wish."

"It is." Summer said immediately. "Er, professor…how can you be so sure that they won't attack us?"

Ozpin chuckled. "Every man has his secrets. I simply have…more than most, you might say." With that enigmatic statement, he began to walk away. Without turning around, he said: "Continue to strive for excellence, Miss Rose. I expect great things from you."

Alone, Summer sat down in a chair and relaxed. Her worries weren't entirely gone, but she'd decided to enjoy this peace and quiet while she could. She looked around the dance hall.

Heather and Regal were chatting near the snack bar. Raven was being asked to dance by about five different guys. Tai was breakdancing to thunderous applause.

Summer smiled. Under the night sky, all her troubles were forgotten for the moment.

* * *

 _And? How did it go?_ The voice rang out from within the portal.

"Everything is progressing smoothly, Grandmaster," R bowed. "Operation 'Yin' has entered its final phase."

 _Excellent. All that remains is to see the plan unfold to its conclusion. I very much look forward to it._

"…Are you sure allying ourselves with them is necessary, though? If you wished, I could have claimed what we have sought long ag-"

 _Patience, R. It is vital to never discard a potential pawn. Did I not teach you to be resourceful? To use every possible asset to your advantage?_

"…Of course."

… _You are, I hope, not faltering in your allegiance. It would be understandable, of course, given your role, to-_

"That is not a concern. I have dedicated myself to this cause, and nothing will sway me from the path I have chosen."

 _Good. Well then, R…enjoy your night._

With that, the disembodied, otherworldly voice faded away, and the portal faded away into nothingness.

* * *

 **We're getting close to the end of "Volume 1!"**

 **Remember to leave some feedback, and thanks for reading!**


	17. Atlas

**Chapter 16: Atlas**

"Whoooooaaaaa! Check out all those skyscrapers!" Tai gasped, his face glued to the glass wall.

"Impressive," Raven nodded in approval. "Atlas' reputation as the jewel of Remnant's technology is not undeserved, it seems."

"Yeah…" Summer stood there in awe. Aboard the airship, they had a perfect view of the Kingdom of Atlas. The massive aircrafts soaring gracefully through the sky, the technologically-advanced structures powering the cities, glowing with beautiful blue energy, the buildings so sleek and tall that it seemed they could hold up the sky…the place really was as majestic as the rumours said.

She could see the Kingdom's namesake, the renowned Atlas Academy, standing immaculately in the middle of the city. On her right, she could make out a strange mass floating above the Lake Pegasus-the largest lake in Remnant.

 _That must be the Amity Coliseum,_ she realized. _Where we'll fight for the honour of our Academy…_

Fighting down her nervousness, Summer took a deep breath. _Ohhhh-kay, just calm yourself…you've trained these past few weeks…there's no way you can lose! Probably. Maybe. Hopefully._

It was funny, though. A few months ago, she'd rode on an airship identical to this one, carrying her to Beacon Academy. Back then, she'd been nervous, shy and alone. But today, she was sharing her experience with her good friends. It was a wonderful feeling, to realize how far she'd gone in less than a year.

"It feels good to be back home!" A voice came from behind her, disturbing her thoughts. It was Heather.

"Hey, Heather," Summer greeted her. "That's right, your hometown is Atlas, isn't it?"

The purple-haired Huntress nodded. "It is...though I think I've spent more of my life outside the Kingdom rather than in it. Last time I was here was right before I left to go to Dusk Academy in Vacuo."

"Huh. Well now that I think about it, I haven't been to my hometown in ages, either...do you at least keep in touch with your parents?" Summer asked.

"Well, Father does his best," Heather smiled wearily. "He's actually been the General of the Atlesian military since before I was born. A man like that has a tendency to be…completely swamped by his duties, to put it lightly. Same with my sister, who's one of the best and busiest Huntresses I've ever known."

"Whoa…" Summer murmured. "Sounds like your family's something pretty special."

Heather laughed. "Well, that just means I have plenty to live up to-not that I don't try my best." Rubbing her shoulder, she looked out the window. "Hah, it really is a beautiful day out, isn't it?"

"Well, that really depends, y'know?" grumbled Qrow, staggering out of the restroom and coming over to join the group. "Once you have a chance to stop barfing for a sec and look around, I guess it ain't half-bad."

"Oh, come on Birdy, just admit the view is amazing," Tai grinned. "Didn't you and Rae come from Atlas, too?"

"In the _region_ of Atlas, not in the city itself," Raven corrected him. "This will be the first time either of us have actually set foot in the heart of the Kingdom."

"We've seen pics of the place, though-we know what it looks like," Qrow added.

Tai stretched his back. "Well, either way, looks like this trip is gonna be a lot of fun for all of us, eh? "

"Seems that way," Summer smiled.

Suddenly, an electronic voice rang out from the speakers. _We will be making our landing within the next ten minutes. All passengers, please return to our seats._

"Uh oh! Don't want to get caught in the turbulence! See you guys in the cabin!" Tai said as he walked away. Summer and the others followed him.

Qrow was lagging behind, staggering toward the cabin while trying to hold in what remained of his breakfast, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Just one moment, Brother," Raven whispered into his ear. "There is something I must tell you…"

* * *

It was a few hours later. After landing at the port, Team STRQ, HTHR and the other two or three teams that had qualified for the Tournament had checked into the hotel. They'd been allowed to explore the city freely and explore the Festival grounds, provided they returned before evening, and "avoided any unsavoury activity," as Professor Goodwitch had said with a stern gaze.

Which was precisely why Summer and Qrow now found themselves outside a nightclub populated by suspicious-looking people in black suits. How that had happened, Summer wasn't entirely sure.

"This is technically within the fairgrounds," Qrow pointed out gruffly. "It's not like we're goin' out of bounds or anything."

Summer glanced around nervously. "Ummm, that really isn't the issue here…We could always just check out the festival games…or the food stands…I've always wanted to try Atlesian ambrosia."

"Nah, that's boring. You wanna enjoy a festival? THIS is how you do it." Qrow grinned. "Trust me partner, I know what I'm doing."

Summer rolled her eyes. "You know, I get you're trying to act like a cool 'bad-boy' or something, but you really just sound obnoxious."

"Oh please! Like you're one to talk!" Without waiting for an answer, Qrow kicked open the giant doors and strolled in with a painfully exaggerated swagger. Sighing, Summer followed him in. _At the very least, I should try to keep him from doing something stupid…_

One step into the club and she was nearly blinded by the bright lights emitted by the disco ball, and deafened by the disgustingly loud punk rock music blaring from the speakers. Hundreds of people were on the dance floor, performing strange, outlandish dance moves, some of which Summer really wished she didn't have to see. _Okay. This was really a bad idea. I should convince Qrow to leave before we get into tr-_

"Oy. You." A gigantic man wearing a thick black-and-red jacket pointed a finger at Qrow. "The hell's a kid like you doing in here? You better scram while you can still walk, brat."

"Kid?" Qrow grinned smugly, and swiftly drew his blade. "Buddy, you got any idea who I am? I'm a bona-fide pro Huntsman of Beacon Academy, and I can damn well stand up to a wimp like you."

 _He's chewing it so hard it's not even funny…_ Summer cringed internally. _And I thought Tai was the over-dramatic one._

"Oh-ho!" The giant returned his grin. "I didn't think you'd have the guts to stand up to me. Of course, your tough words don't mean jack shit if don't have the skills to back 'em up. You DO realize what you're getting yourself into, right?"

Qrow smirked, and readied his battle stance. "Oh, you bet. You can still back out now, if you're too scared."

The giant cracked his knuckles. "As if! So boy, you accept my offer to duel?"

 _W-wait! No, no, not like this!_ Panicking, Summer reached out to her partner. "No, it's alright, we-"

"Of course!" Qrow transformed his blade into its scythe form. Turning back to Summer, he whispered, "Hey, I said I got this, okay? Don't do anything stupid."

"That's MY line!" Summer protested.

Unfortunately, the budding conflict had attracted the attention of the entire club. Cheers were breaking out. Yet again, Summer felt the stares of so many people on her.

 _This is going to end badly…_ she thought, despairing.

The giant readied his stance. "Excellent, excellent! Tell you what-out of respect, if you win, I'll buy you a free drink." With terrifying speed, he swung his enormous fist at the young Huntsman.

"Kh!" Surprised, Qrow dodged the blow and stepped back. Mustering as much strength as he could, he swung his scythe at the giant, aiming for his neck. The giant simply blocked the impact of the strike with one hand, stopping the weapon dead in its tracks. "What?" He grinned. "THIS is the extent of your strength?" With astonishing power, he wrenched the scythe from Qrow's hands and flung it at his body.

"Ghahhh!" Qrow was sent flying straight into the wall, creating a painful-looking crack. His scythe fell to the floor beside him. The crowd exploded into cheers. "Blood! BLOOD!" They screamed.

Snarling, Qrow grabbed his weapon and transformed it into its gun form. "Not yet, you son of a bitch!" he growled, firing a round of cannon shells at his opponent. They simply bounced off of him, not even harming him.

"My turn," the giant smiled. He charged at Qrow and rammed his face into the wall his fist. "Sorry kid, looks like you bit off more than you could chew." With powerful strikes, he continued to utterly demolish the young man, with a feral, primal fighting style that made him look more like a Grimm than a man.

 _I can't take this anymore._ Summer really did not want to get herself involved in a fight like this, but she couldn't stand by and watch her friend suffer. She loaded an Ice arrow into her bow and, taking a deep breath, fired at Qrow's assailant. The giant was frozen, large protrusions of ice keeping his arms and legs stuck in place. "What?" he growled.

Qrow didn't waste a second-he grabbed his weapon and brought it down on the man's head with full force. Howling in pain, the giant struggled to break free of the ice. Qrow helped him out with that, blasting him back several feet with a point-blank cannon shot.

"Urghh…now that's cheating!" he complained.

"Hey, I didn't ASK her to help me!" Qrow grumbled, shooting an annoyed (but slightly grateful) look at Summer. "Still, I never said having an aid was breaking the rules!"

"I guess we can't back out of this one," said Summer resignedly. She readied her bow once more. The audience cheered for the new challenger.

Working together, the two of them slowly but surely began to overpower the giant's massive strength. Qrow met him blow for blow, changing between sword and scythe form when it suited him. While the giant was distracted, Summer fired arrows at his weak points to whittle down his Aura. Soon, his attacks felt noticeably weaker, and more sluggish.

"Hraaah!" With a grunt, Qrow pushed the man back with a powerful swing. Quickly, Summer readied an explosive arrow and shot the giant right in the stomach. The impact sent him flying right onto the middle of the dance floor, scattering the dancers. Groaning, he tried to get up, but his strength had faded.

"Did…we…hahh…win?" Qrow asked through short gasps.

Summer put away her bow and quiver. "I…think so."

Still lying on the floor, the giant broke into a coarse laugh. "Heh heh…not yet. If you get to bend the rules, so do I…!"

Qrow frowned. "The hell's that supposed to-"

He was interrupted by the sounds of about a hundred guns being cocked. Every single person in the club was now pointing high-tech rifles and machine guns at the two of them. Behind them, even the bartender had pulled out a pistol. _Oh, no._

"What?!" Qrow yelled, panicking as he readied his sword once more.

"You know who _I_ am, kid?" The giant chuckled from on the floor. "You may have skills of a hunter, but I got _connections._ Someone like you could never take me down!"

Summer gulped. "W-w-what should we do? We're cornered!"

"I-I don't know!" Qrow tried to keep his cool. "I didn't think this far ahead!"

"You were thinking at all?"

"This is NOT the time for that!" Qrow snapped.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to teach you both a lesson in respect," the giant sneered. "Your violent fates will serve as a fine example of those who mess with the Gehen-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Out of nowhere, a series of projectiles flew into the crowd, exploding and incapacitating most of the gunmen. "Huh?" Summer and Qrow looked around in confusion.

A young man leapt into the crowd holding a golden double-barreled shotgun. Before they could react, he raised his gun. "Too slow." From the bottom barrel came a rapid burst of fire, scattering everyone. The gunmen ran for the exit, now completely ignoring Summer and Qrow. Firing more explosive shells from the top barrel, the new arrival began dispatching the mooks left and right.

"Arghh!" Some of the gunmen who'd tried to flee were flung back by a bright blue flash. "Sorry, there won't be an escape for you." A beautiful woman with light blue hair wearing a fancy aqua suit stepped into the club, an enormous steel gauntlet radiating blue energy clamped onto her arm.

"What…where did…" the giant spluttered, struggling to get up. "Y-you're-"

He was cut off yet again, this time by a crimson bullet embedding itself in his chest, sending him crashing back down into the floor, unconscious. Two more girls strolled into view, the taller of which was holding a smoking sniper rifle. "Eh. You don't need to know," she said cheerfully, twirling her scarlet hair.

Within seconds, all the remaining gunmen had been subdued. The four new arrivals wiped them all out without so much as an ounce of effort. _Holy crap,_ Summer thought, awestruck. _Who the heck are these guys?_

Dusting off his clothes, the young man casually walked up to the bartender, who was still holding his pistol, hands shaking, his eyes looking as if he'd just wet himself. "Four lemon tequilas, please. Oh and," he gestured to Qrow and Summer. "Two sparkling ciders for the minors, if you don't mind."

"Uh…uh….y-yes! C-coming right up!" Stammering furiously, the poor man began pouring them their drinks.

"Well, that's done with." The man with the flamethrower-shotgun-whatever turned to Qrow and Summer. "You two sure know how to pick the worst fights possible, huh?"

"Er…" Summer's head was still reeling from the arrivals of these new faces. This young man was quite good-looking, with chocolate-brown hair, dark-brown eyes, and a neat flannel shirt. "Um…thanks for the help."

"No need to thank us-we were just here on business," the man smiled. "You two are Huntsmen as well, right? I bet you're here for the tournament."

The bartender, still looking like he could have a stroke any minute, put six shot glasses on the counter. The young man and the three women all took their drinks.

"So. Since you're still here," he said after a sip of his tequila. "The name's Latte. Latte Adel. Nice to make your acquaintances."

"Hey, you're…" Qrow muttered. "Aren't you Atlas' star pupil? Sis mentioned you once or twice."

"Oh! Someone's heard of me?" Latte grinned. "I'd like to meet this fine lady sometime."

"Which means…" Qrow glanced at the girls. "You guys are…Team LIME?"

"Bingo!" The redhead downed her drink in one gulp. "Won't find a better gang of Huntsmen anywhere on the continent, baby! And now you owe us for savin' your asses-hic!"

"Come on, Marguerite, don't bring blackmail into this," Latte sighed. "Hey Isa, you think we'll be able to explain this mess to Onyx?"

The blue haired girl-Isa-shrugged. She touched her gauntlet to her glass, cooling the drink with icy energy. "Unlikely. I think the Headmaster stopped forgiving us after that stunt with the stripper."

Latte groaned, holding his head in his hands. "Ugh…I thought we agreed never to speak of that again."

While they continued chatting, Summer turned to Qrow, confused. "Wait, these guys are…participating in the Tournament?"

"Sis looked up every possible threat to us before we left," her partner muttered. "These guys were near the top of the food chain. Team LIME, second-year students of Atlas."

He pointed to Latte. "Latte Adel, their leader. He won the Jupiter Tournament in his first year, and now people call him the "Peerless Flames.""

He pointed in turn to the three female members. "Isa Teal, the "Glacier," Marguerite Scarlet, the "Blood Mongrel," and Esther Prezo, the "Youthful Breeze." According to Sis, they're all prodigies, and chronic ass-kickers."

"Seriously?" Summer got a better look at them. The four of them were certainly different from any Huntsmen she'd ever seen. Their weapons were insanely high-tech, as to be expected from Atlesian craft. Even though they were only a year older than her, they looked much older and wiser. _So this is what we're up against…!_

"Seriously," Marguerite burped, and grinned at Summer. "We heard your fight from outside. You guys don't seem half-bad, either! Hope to see you in the ring soon!"

Esther, a petite girl with cream-colored locks and light-brown eyes, stared at Qrow. "Oh…it looks like you've got a few bruises from that battle. Here, let me help!" Closing her eyes, she muttered a short chant, and began to glow with Aura. "Become calm as the wind, and steady as iron." A small beam of Aura entered Qrow's body, and sure enough, his bruises disappeared.

"Whoa…" He touched his face in shock. "I don't just feel better, I feel ready to take on ten of those assholes."

"That…wouldn't be the best option." Latte gestured to the hordes of unconscious men on the floor. "Who exactly do you think you were fighting?"

"Uh, I don't know, a bunch of idiots with big egos and guns?"

"This club is owned by the Brotherhood of Gehenna-a cult of Grimm worshippers," Isa said with a stern frown. "You picked a fight with one of their higher-ups."

"Oh….shit," Qrow muttered.

Summer frowned. "Wait, Grimm-worshippers? Those exist?"

"Basically, some buncha loonies think that Grimm are angels or messengers of some grand deity sent to cleanse the world of sin and scum or some hullabaloo," Marguerite slurred. "Most of em are small and can't do shit, but The Brotherhood's a bit more of a pain in the ass than most. Their leaders've managed to avoid gettin locked up for some years now. They're just my type, really."

"We were actually supposed to spy on their base-this club-and get intel on them for the police." Latte sighed. "Unfortunately, it seems we weren't counting on…er, outside interference."

"Oh, um…sorry about that…" Summer looked down for a moment, then frowned. "Wait, why am I apologizing?" She scowled at Qrow. "This was all YOUR fault! Why did you have to pick a fight with him?"

"He started it," Qrow muttered, sounding like a child.

Latte laughed good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it. What's done is done. More importantly, you seem to know who we are, so how about you guys introduce yourselves."

Summer and Qrow gave their names. "Summer Rose and Qrow Branwen of Team STRQ, eh?" Latte murmured. After a second, he grinned a them. "You sure sound like a team we need to look out for-not something we're used to, if I do say so myself!"

"Heh! Damn right!" Qrow grinned, his bravado returning immediately after the praise. "If you're really as good as they say, how 'bout we go for a prac-"

"…Sorry, but it's getting late, and we need to go." Sternly, Summer grabbed her partner's hand and dragged him out of the club. "If Professor Goodwitch found out we were here, we'll probably never get the chance to face you anyway."

"Killjoy…" Qrow grumbled.

"It was nice to meet you!" Esther called to them. "Hope to see you in the arena!"

"Seeya, newbies!" Marguerite laughed, flirting with the unfortunate(?) bartender while downing her tenth glass.

After Qrow and Summer had gone, Isa turned to her partner. "So what do you want to do about the cultists?"

"Well…the main objective was to clean them out, one way or another…" Latte sighed. "Let's just report honestly this time, and hopefully Headmaster Onyx'll let us keep our heads." Turning his head to the ceiling, he became lost in thought.

 _Summer Rose, huh? Looks like they were right after all…_

* * *

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for. Welcome…to the Vytal Festival Tournament!"

The audience erupted into thunderous applause. The Amity Coliseum was filled to brim with spectators, all ready for a day of action, teamwork, and blood (hopefully not), sweat and tears.

"Before we get to the action, allow us to break down the rules!" The deafening voice of Atlas' Geography professor, Gaius Terrion, came booming from the speakers. The Vytal Tournament is divided into three stages-teams, then doubles, and finally singles! The tournament is a game of pure skill, so your school year will not factor into the randomization process!"

"INDEED!" The other commentator, Professor Pegasus, screamed into the mike with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Once the team matches have concluded, each team will select two members to advance to the DOUBLES! Once the tournament reaches its final stage, it's nothing but one-one-one SHOWDOWNS OF SPECTACLE! May the BEST TEAM TAKE THE CROWN! Hahhh…" he stopped to catch his breath.

"Loving the enthusiasm, Percy!" Professor Terrion nodded in approval. "For each match up until the finals, the arena will be randomly selected from a range of various terrains, to ensure no team is given an unfair advantage! Now, without further ado…our first match, Team HTHR of Beacon versus Team IVRY of Shade!" The audience cheered yet again.

"Show 'em who's boss, Heather!" Tai whooped. "Good luck, Harriet!" Summer called out.

It was the day after the incident at the nightclub. Thankfully, no one had found out about her and Qrow's misadventure. Looking around, Summer could see Latte and his crew cheering some distance away.

The randomization began, and the arena was transformed into a half-rainforest, half volcano. _That shouldn't be too much of a problem for Heather's team,_ Summer thought. Team HTHR and their opponents faced down each other, ready to fight.

"Three…two…one…BEGIN!" As the crowd cheered a third time, both sides began their battle.

Torrence immediately charged forward, raising his switch-axe like a shield. Behind him, Heather, Harriet and Regal waited for an opening to strike.

"Not a bad strategy," Raven nodded. "Send in the defense to block the enemy's first assault. Classic tactic."

"Those chumps don't stand a chance," Qrow grinned.

Sure enough, within minutes, Heather's team had completely demolished the opposition. It had been less of a fight and more of a massacre. The pro-Beacon spectators were deafening themselves with their own cheers.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Tai laughed. "Oh man, what a way to start the tournament, eh?"

"What an INCREDIBLE display of TEAMWORK by TEAM HTHR!" Professor Pegasus hollered. "Now then, before the first break begins, let us determine the NEXT CONTESTANTS!"

On a gigantic projector, the randomization process sorted through all the remaining teams. Finally, the left side of the screen stopped on: Summer, Qrow, Tai and Raven.

Qrow whooped. "Perfect! Looks like it's our turn to kick some ass! Better sooner than later, huh?"

The right side of the screen stopped on: Latte, Isa, Marguerite and Esther. The audience burst into cheers, even louder than it had just a moment ago.

"Oh f #$." Qrow's shoulders drooped. "On second thought, later mighta been better…"

"W-w-we have to fight THEM?!" Summer stammered. "In the first round?"

Tai looked confused. "Who are they?"

"Team LIME…quite the fan-favourite among the Atlas crowd." Raven murmured with a smile. "Well, at least the challenge will be nice for a change."

"The tournament will now pause for a half-hour break!" Professor Terrion announced. "Tune in for our next exciting match! Peace be with you all!"

* * *

The auditorium began to clear out, students heading for the docking bay in droves. In the stands, Summer and Qrow staggered out of their seats, muttering encouraging things like "We're so damn screwed" and "Don't throw up, don't throw up". Tai had already rushed out-"Can't fight on an empty stomach! I'll order for you guys!"

Raven got up and followed her teammates. Suddenly, she felt her Scroll vibrate within her pocket.

She took it out and looked at the screen. _1 attachment. Sender: BlackBird._

Raven smiled to herself. _Right on time._

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I've been wanting to introduce Team LIME for a while now, they're probably the characters I had the most fun coming up with. And yes, their team theme is beverages.**

 **Latte Adel=Lattes, duh.**

 **Isa Teal=Iced Tea**

 **Marguerite Scarlet=Margaritas (for some reason, I thought margaritas were typically red. I decided to not correct that mistake, because red is a creative colour.)**

 **Esther Prezo=Espressos**

 **I originally wanted to show HTHR vs IVRY (and give the latter actual characters), but I decided it wouldn't contribute anything to the plot and the fight would take up too much space.**

 **Leave feedback and a review, whether you liked it or not!**


	18. Game, Set, Match

**Chapter 17: Game, Set, Match**

"So on a scale of one to ten…" Qrow grumbled with his head on the table. "I'd say we're pretty much screwed."

"Well, thath athitude ifn't gonna win uth the hundred thouthand Lien eifher," Tai responded, his mouth filled with noodles and chicken.

Team STRQ had set up their temporary base of operations at one of the many food stands in Atlas' main square. The place had been decorated from top to bottom for the Vytal Festival, and the smells of all the different foreign dishes was positively mesmerizing. Unfortunately, they didn't have the time to enjoy it.

Trying to keep her composure, Summer concentrated on finishing her rice balls. _Don't panic. They can't be that bad, they're only one year older than…_ In her mind, she relived Latte and his team utterly massacring the Brotherhood cultists at the nightclub. _Ugh…_

Raven, meanwhile, had already finished her soup. She was flipping through something on her Scroll with an intense look in her eyes.

"So," Tai gulped down the last of his meal. "What exactly are we up against, guys? You seem to know more about them than I do."

"Each member of Team LIME already has a history of competitive battle," Raven explained, putting her Scroll away. "Overall, I'd say they're Atlas' best team. They're well-renowned for their perfect teamwork, and their weapons are made from state-of-the-art Atlesian materials, so in terms of pure power we're completely outmatched."

Qrow sighed. "Figures. Basically, we're doomed, aren't we?"

"Mmm, not necessarily. No matter the power of their equipment, they themselves are just people. If we can predict their strategies and attacks, we'll seize victory. With some luck, of course."

"How comforting." Qrow grumbled. "So that Latte guy has that double-barreled shotgun that's also a flamethrower, and the blue-haired chick's got that huge-ass gauntlet shooting blasts of breezing energy. I'm guessing those two are the ones we'll have to look out for."

"Huh?" Tai frowned. "How do you know what their weapons look like?"

Summer laughed nervously. "Er…let's just say we've met them before."

"It's true that Latte and Isa are the powerhouses of the team," Raven admitted. "Latte Adel's Pyroburst Cannon. Shoots bursts of napalm with impressive range from the bottom barrel, and explosive projectiles from the top barrel. Extremely destructive and surprisingly mobile. Isa Teal's Arctic Arm. Multifunctional gauntlet serving as durable shield, massive ice blade, and freeze-ray cannon. Both weapons I rate an A+."

"Fantastic," Qrow mumbled.

"Buuuut…to compensate, their other two members are total wimps, right?" Tai suggested.

Raven shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. Marguerite Scarlet is their sniper, and she's supposed to be quite the shot. Her rifle fires heavy electric tranquilizers, and can be retracted into an electric baton to contend with opponents who get too close. While she's not at combat-oriented as the others, she will not be a pushover." She frowned, scratching her chin. "The fourth member is a bit more complicated."

"Esther, right?" Summer asked. "Come to think of it, I don't think she had a weapon on her when we met. I think she's supposed to be the team healer, though."

"Correct. Healing injuries and rejuvenation make up her Semblance." Raven nodded. "She actually has no weapon. She instead utilizes strange, virtually unknown techniques…from the Forsaken."

"The Forsaken…" Summer murmured. In Geography class, they'd learned about the lands that lay outside the Kingdoms of Remnant. Almost nothing was known about what was out there, as aircrafts and ships that went that far almost never came back. The few who'd ever returned had described the things they'd seen as "incomprehensible" and "unbelievable horror": large spans of wasteland, monsters hundreds of times larger and more vicious than Grimm…

"They have someone from the Foresaken?" Tai asked in surprise.

"Civilizations do exist there," Raven reminded him. "The techniques people learn there to survive in the harsh environment…they are less like Dust or Semblance and more like what we call "magic." Even I don't know the full extent of their abilities…from what I do, though, this Esther girl is very proficient in them."

"…In other words, she's as deadly as the rest of them," Summer sighed. "Though the important thing is that she's their healer, so we should target her first, right?"

Raven nodded. "Precisely. That should be where our strategy begins. Now-"

"Hey, you guys!" The team meeting was interrupted by the arrival of Team HTHR. "Getting ready for your big match?" Regal grinned at them.

"More like prepping ourselves for inevitable doom," Qrow replied. "As least you guys got to kick ass today."

"Oh come now! It wasn't that impressive!" Heather laughed, rubbing her shoulder. "Really, I think you would all have done just as well."

Torrence downed a mouthful of popcorn. "To be fair though, if you can beat Latte's team, you've practically won the whole tournament."

"Good luck, Summer," Harriet smiled. "Thanks," Summer sighed. "I just really don't want to be humiliated in the first round…especially as the leader of my team."

"Well if you're the leader that just means you can bring everyone together, right?" Harriet encouraged her. "The headmaster chose you for a reason. I know you can do it!"

Summer smiled. Harriet's words made her feel a bit better. "Thanks. I'll try my best."

Professor Pegasus' voice rang out from the speakers. _Would Teams STRQ and LIME please REPORT TO THE COLISEUM IMMEDIATELY, YOUR MATCH BEGINS SOON! THANK YOU!"_

"My ears hurt…" Harriet complained.

"Well, looks like it's do or die, comrades!" Tai leapt out of his seat, grinning. "Let's give 'em a show!"

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen…" On the big screen, Professor Terrion made an exaggerated gesture with his hands. "Welcome back to The Vytal Festival Tournament, and boy do we have a match for you!"

Heart pounding, Summer stepped out of the waiting room and walked onto the centre ring. Her teammates followed after her, each looking as anxious and tense as she was. Even Tai had a serious look on his face, his fists clenched in anticipation. Holding her head high, Summer took a deep breath. _This is your moment, Summer Rose! Show them just how much you've improved!_ She flashed a confident smile at Latte, who was standing on the other side of the arena with his teammates.

"Team LIME of Atlas is certainly a crowd-favourite, and as their professor, I can confidently say that that reputation is well-earned!" Terrion boomed. "They won't go down easily to anyone!"

The audience erupted into cheers for the umpteenth time. The screens showed spectators from various sides of the stadium. There were veritable legions of fanboys holding up posters of Isa, Esther and Marguerite. Latte also had quite the following among the female crowd.

"Yes, but Team STRQ of Beacon is turning about to be QUITE the ensemble darkhorse!" Professor Pegasus hollered. "Despite being first-years, we've had A SHOCKING NUMBER OF PEOPLE BETTING ON THEIR ODDS! This looks like it'll be INTEEEEEENNNNNNNSE!"

More cheers. On the screen, Summer saw a bunch of eleven-year old girls screaming "Tai-Yang! Tai-Yang!" The scene then switched to a couple of young women who were cosplaying as Raven, right down to her red katana. Standing next to them were a squad of teenage boys passionately professing their love for her.

"Hey, looks like we're pretty popular ourselves!" Tai grinned, flexing his impressive biceps at what he hoped were his admirers. Raven, not one to pass up such an advantage, Raven, smiling, flipped her long black hair and gave a seductive wink to the audience. The cheering grew even louder.

"W-wow…" Summer laughed. "These people sure are dedicated, huh? I mean, most of them don't even know Tai and Raven…" A thought occurred to her, and she frowned. She turned to Qrow. "Wait, why isn't anyone cheering for _us_?"

"You're really asking that question?" Qrow grumbled.

"Well, regardless of reputation, skill will determine who emerges triumphant!" Professor Terrion's voice hushed the audience. "Now, without further ado, let the randomization begin!"

A hologram began to scroll through the various biomes available for the tournament. Eventually it settled on _Forest_ and _Tron._

A loud rumbling sound was heard as the stadium's landscape was altered. On Team STRQ's side, a large, lush rainforest appeared. On Team LIME's side was a bizarre mess of random, levitating blue platforms.

"THREE….TWO…ONE…" Pegasus yelled. "And…START!"

"Go time, team!" Latte yelled, readying his Pyroburst Cannon and firing off several incendiary rounds. Team STRQ immediately scattered to avoid them.

"Isa! Hoist me up!" Marguerite yelled, holding out her gun in front of her. Nodding, Isa swung her enormous gauntlet, impacting the rifle and launching the redhead into the skies. "Wooohoooo!" she cheered, landing neatly onto the highest platform of the Tron biome, and promptly took aim with her sniper rifle.

"Let's begin this." Isa fired a massive beam of ice from her gauntlet, freezing the ground where it made contact. Tai and Qrow ran out, panicking, trying to avoid both the beam and the sniper fire.

 _We're disorganized!_ Summer thought. _I need to come up with a plan…_

"Qrow! Can you get up to Marguerite's position?" she yelled.

"Huh? Oh right! On it!" Using his Semblance, Qrow transformed into a bird and flew towards where the redheaded sniper was perched. He flew around in erratic circles, distracting her from his teammates.

 _Nice. That's a start._ "Tai, Raven!" she called to her other teammates. "Focus on taking out Esther!" Nodding, they charged towards Latte and Isa, who were guarding their healer with their heavy weaponry.

"Hey, Esther," Latte grinned. "Show them what you're made of."

"Okay!" Esther nodded, closed her eyes and began to chant. The rumbling of thunder came from overhead. "Huh?" Summer looked up to see a pitch-black thundercloud had appeared out of nowhere.

"Look out!" Raven yelled. Tai and Summer quickly rolled out of the way as cobalt rays of lightning rained down from the clouds.

"What the heck is this?" Tai yelled.

"Oh-ho, that's impressive!" Terrion and Pegasus were commentating on the battle. "Ms. Prezo has used her signature Forsaken Artes-an enchantment that manipulates the weather itself!"

 _Now that's just not fair._ Gritting her teeth, Summer tried to think of a plan to get over the barricade. Over in the Tron biome, Qrow had transformed back and was engaging Marguerite in combat. The sniper was darting from platform to platform, avoiding her opponent's heavy attacks.

 _We need to distract Latte and Isa,_ she decided. "Tai! Raven! Hold the two of them in place! Got all-out!" she called to them. Her teammates nodded, and continued their assault on Team LIME's heavy hitters. Raven fired dark-red Dust beams at Latte and Isa while darting around, searching for an opening to run past them, while Tai blocked and deflected their projectiles with his bare hands.

 _Now!_ In the moment that Latte and Isa were preoccupied, Summer charged at full speed at Esther, grunting as she shoved the small mage several feet onto a Tron platform. Retrieving an Earth-Dust arrow from her quiver, she managed to get several strikes on Esther before she recovered.

"Nngh…" Esther leapt up and jumped back onto a higher platform, and summoned several lightning bolts, which Summer quickly dodged. She loaded an explosive arrow into her bow and fired it.

Esther swung her hand, and a gust of wind swept the arrow off direction, sending it straight to the top of the biome.

"Qrow! Look out!" Summer yelled. Her partner was too far away to hear her. The explosion from the arrow blasted him with a yelp into the sky. Grinning, Marguerite leapt up and shot him in the chest at point-blank range. The impact launched him straight towards the ground.

"Hm?" Isa looked up, seeing the human cannonball flying towards her. "Hrahhh!' With a swing of her massive gauntlet blade, she struck Qrow directly and sent him flying, screaming, "ARRRRGHHHHHH!" right out of the ring.

 _Buzzzz!_ The buzzer rang, signifying that he had been eliminated. "Ohhh, and so Team LIME takes the lead!" Terrion whooped. "What a painful way to go for Mr. Branwen!"

"S-sorry!" Summer stammered. _He'll never let me hear the end of that…_

"No time for apologies!" Raven landed beside her and blasted Esther back with a shot of Dust energy. "Strike her down-I'll distract the sniper!" With a swing of her katana, she created a portal and stepped in.

Summer, gripping her arrow, tried to hit Esther again, but the mage launched her back with a gust of wind. "Ughh!" she landed painfully next to Tai.

"Hey, Summer," he panted. "This, uh, isn't going that well. Any ideas?"

"Ummm…." She looked behind her, seeing the Forest biome. "Into the trees!" The two of them ran as fast as they could.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that!" Latte cheered, revving up his weapon, shooting out an enormous stream of napalm. The flames had enormous range, reaching all the way to the other end of the stadium. Within seconds, the entire forest was on fire.

"Okay, never mind!" Summer yelped. "Not the trees!"

More bullets from Latte's gun. Tai and Summer, abandoning all planning, simply fled for their lives. Grinning, Latte chased after them, still firing off rounds effortlessly. With a heavy impact from the butt of his gun, Summer was knocked away from Tai. "Summer!" he yelled, trying to run back to help her.

"I don't think so." Isa readied her gauntlet, and fired an enormous ice ray at the floor between Summer and Tai, erecting a fifty-foot ice wall separating the two. "Damn it!" Tai swore, before being forced to defend himself against Isa's attacks. "Sorry, Summer, you're on your own!"

And so, Summer was left to fight one-on-two, all while being surrounded by an enormous fire. Not the best situation. _Well, at least Latte and Esther are trapped, too, and the fire will melt the ice, ri-_

Suddenly, a massive torrent of water crashed onto her head. "What?" Summer looked up at the rainclouds floating above her. The fire had been put out, enveloping the entire forest in fog. Before she could react, one of Esther's lightning bolts came down upon her. Being soaked in rain, the electrical shock was excruciatingly painful, like the sting of a thousand knives. "Gah!" Summer collapsed to her knees. Her Aura was getting dangerously low. "Nice job, Esther!" Latte congratulated his teammate.

 _Nnghh…can't do anything about it…just run!_ Summer ran into the thickest part fog-enveloped forest. At least there, Latte and Esther couldn't get her.

It was only after she couldn't see anything that she realized, _Wait, but I can't see them, either!_ She glanced around nervously. "Esther! Can you clear out the fog?" She could hear Latte's voice. "Umm…I don't know…these last few artes have really drained my Aura." Esther responded. "Ugh. Oh well." Latte sighed.

Summer looked up at the screen displaying the Aura meters of the participants. Qrow's portrait had been crossed out, signifying his elimination. Sure enough, Esther's Aura was close to dropping below the elimination mark. In fact, it was lower than hers-18 percent to Summer's 21 percent. Apparently, the downside of Forsaken Artes were that they were far more taxing on the user's body than Semblances. _Well, that's convenient,_ Summer thought.

"Guess I don't have any other option," Latte continued. "Time to pop in the heat-seekers."

 _HUH?!_ Panic rushed through Summer's body. _I thought that weapon was a SHOTGUN, not a ROCKET LAUNCHER!_

The booming sounds of the weapon being fired rang out. Summer made out the sight of four missiles heading straight for her. _No, no, NO!_ Running blindly through the forest, she somehow managed to avoid all of them as they exploded on impact with the trees.

"Right, she's this way!" Latte called out. In the distance, Summer heard him reload. Crouching down, she tried desperately to make out his location, or even his general direction. _If I can just get one hit…_

Summer pulled out a Fire arrow and loaded it onto her how. She pulled the bow back, and closed her eyes in concentration. She tried to cleanse her mind of everything except for the sounds of their footsteps. As if on instinct, she aimed her bow slightly to her left. _Over there…? No, I need to be a bit more precise…_

 _Bang! Bang!_ Latte fired his weapon. Summer opened her eyes. _There!_ Adjusting her bow to match the direction of the sound, she fired her arrow. She immediately put her weapon away and ran, trying to outrun the missiles. _Did I do it?_

An explosion rang out, followed by the buzzer. Risking a quick glance upward, Summer saw that Esther's picture had been crossed out. _Yes! I got her!_ Feeling a rush of confidence, Summer, still leading the missiles behind her, ran in Latte's direction.

"What the hell?" Latte yelled in confusion. "Where did that come fr-"

Her opponent was now in her sights. "HRAHHHHHH!" Summer yelled, leaping over Latte's head with all her strength. "Huh?" Latte's eyes widened as his own missiles flew right at his face. "Oh you've got to be-"

 _BOOOM!_ Despite shielding himself with his cannon, Latte still took the majority of the explosions' impact. Unfortunately, Summer did not manage to outrun the blast radius completely, and her Aura level crossed the elimination mark as she landed ungracefully. The buzzer rang out again.

"TWO ELIMINATIONS IN TEN SECONDS!" Professor Pegasus hollered. "WHAT A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY BY MISS ROSE! Team LIME may still be in the lead, but only TIME WILL TELL WHO COMES OUT ON TOP!" The audience cheered.

"Ughh…" On the floor, Summer picked herself up and made her way off the arena. She looked up at the screen and noted that Latte's Aura was below 25 percent. _Nice._ Even though she'd been eliminated, she felt satisfied. _I did my part. Raven, Tai, you take care of the rest!_ Latte gave her a nod of approval and a smile as she passed by.

"Hey," Qrow grumbled once she joined him in the waiting area. "Not bad. Your aim's sure improved."

"Ahaha…sorry about that arrow," Summer laughed awkwardly.

Qrow sighed. "Nah. Was my fault, anyway. Now all we can do is hope that Blondie doesn't screw it up."

"Yeah…" Summer and Qrow watched the rest of the match on the screen.

Latte was trying to melt down the ice wall using his flamethrower. On the other side, Isa and Tai were still battling it out.

"Take this!" His tattoos glowing with Fire Dust energy, Tai thrust punch after punch, each being blocked by Isa's gauntlet. The weapon's surface was cold enough to freeze a normal person's skin, but the Dust energy protected Tai's hands enough for him to keep attacking. Determined to keep Isa on edge, he gritted his teeth and sped up the rate of his attacks. _One, two, three, four, five, six…_ Each blow landed against the gauntlet with a loud _thud,_ and after a while, even the famed "Glacier" was pushed back several feet.

"Hahh, ahh…" All tired out, Tai stopped to catch his breath.

"Impressive. You actually managed to make me move," said Isa approvingly. "But do you really think you can keep this up much longer?"

"Not sure I need to," Tai grinned through his exhaustion. "I think I've bought her enough time."

"What?" Isa looked taken aback.

The buzzer rang. Back in the Tron biome, Raven had dealt the final coup de grace to Marguerite. "And with that, the teams are on equal footing!" Professor Terrion announced.

"Tch-"Isa started, panicking.

"Too late." Raven stepped out from her portal and struck a direct hit on the blue-haired Huntress. Isa stumbled, her heavy gauntlet causing her to lose her balance. Before she could react, Tai finished her off with a powerful blow to the head.

At the same moment, a loud _crash_ rang out as the ice wall collapsed. Latte pronounced his entrance with a barrage of rounds from his cannon. Caught off guard, Tai raised his hands to block the incoming projectiles, but his Aura was too low, and blasted straight out of the area, arms flailing.

"The match has now become a one-on-one duel between Ms Branwen and Mr. Adel!" yelled Professor Terrion. "This will be a close battle indeed!"

In the waiting room, Qrow gritted his teeth. "C'mon, Sis, you're not gonna lose here…" he muttered.

Determined to take advantage of Latte's lack of close combat prowess, Raven ran towards him, dodging all his projectiles. Closing the distance, she struck at his with her katana, but he parried them with the barrel of his cannon. The two of them continuously exchanged blows, gradually wearing each other down. After a few minutes, it looked like either of them would collapse at any moment.

Finally, it was a powerful stab from Raven's katana that ended the battle, sending Latte crumbling to his knees. "Ughh…we lost…?" he groaned.

The last buzzer sounded. "AND THAT'S THE MATCH!" Professor Pegasus screamed. "Victory goes to Team STRQ! What a MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF SKILL FROM BOTH SIDES!"

The stadium erupted in cheers once more. Aside from several packets of fanboys, who were simply staring in shock that their beloved Team LIME had lost in the first round, every single person in the audience was cheering, "STRQ! STRQ!"

"Raven!" Her heart filled with pride and admiration, Summer ran over to her friend's side. "You really did it! You were amazing!" "Well played, Sis," Qrow grinned.

Raven shook her head, smiling. "No, it really was nothing. You dealt most of the damage to him. Had he had just a bit more Aura left when he fought one-on-one, I would have lost. If anyone deserves praise, it's you."

"Aww…don't be so humble…" Summer laughed awkwardly.

"Oh come on, no thanks for me?" Tai sighed, walking over to the rest of his team.

"Alright-thank you very much," Raven smiled, patting him on the back.

"Heh! I'll say!" Staggering back up, Latte flashed a weak thumbs-up at his opponents. "That was the best fight I've had in a long time! Never seen first-years kick ass quite like that!"

Qrow smirked. "That's just how we roll, pal."

"You didn't even do anything, Birdy," Tai snorted.

Marguerite, Isa and Esther joined them. "Now THAT was a battle!" the sniper grinned wildly. "I wouldn't mind grabbin' a few drinks with all of you later, if you're available!"

Qrow laughed. "Well, if you ins-"

"Still minors," Raven said sternly. "Ugh," her brother sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Hey, Summer." Latte was staring at her. "Hmmm?" she frowned. "What is it?"

"…" The Huntsman had a curious look on his face. "Nah. It's nothing." Latte smiled. "Just wanted to say, that was a pretty clean shot you pulled in the forest! You really do have a talent with that bow!"

Blushing from the praise, Summer stammered, "Ha, ha, thanks, but I'm still not that great…"

"With that, Team STRQ moves on the doubles round!" Amidst the ever-cheering crowd came Professor Terrion's announcement. "I'm sure we can all expect great things from them from here on out!"

* * *

As the crowd's cheering continued unabated, one spectator simply observed the grand scene, contemplating all that had just occurred. The cheers and congratulations uttered by the people sitting on either side meant nothing to them. They had taken note of single move the participants had made. Stored that precious knowledge away in their mind, for later use. After all, there was little in the world that couldn't be used, exploited, and taken advantage of.

The screen showed the two teams happily exchanging banter after their battle. The spectator made sure to memorize every detail of their smiling, upbeat faces. The spring in their step as they looked towards a bright, hopeful tomorrow.

That way, it would feel all the more wonderful once that hope was snatched away, and the crushing despair of reality sent them crashing back to earth. The spectator could hardly wait.

 _That was quite the spectacle,_ R smiled. _But no matter._

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the fight scene!**


	19. (Bonus Chapter)

**Okay, now I'm back! Sorry if there were no updates last week.**

 **So a couple of you said you really wanted to see the HTHR vs IVRY match. So lo and behold, I wrote one in. I might do 'Bonus Chapters' like these down the line when there's an event that I couldn't actually include in the story due to time constraints or something. Or maybe I won't.**

 **Anyway, enjoy this bonus chapter, the next update WILL continue the story!**

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter: HTHR vs IVRY**

"Three, two, one...BEGIN!"

"Hrahhh!" Torrence charged at the opposing team, holding out his switch-axe in front of him like a shield. Heather, Regal and Harriet drew their weapons, preparing for their attack. Heather looked around the arena, taking in their surroundings. Ice on their side, mountain on the enemy's side. "On my call, run for the mountains!" she yelled at her teammates. "We need to get a height advantage!" Regal and Harriet nodded.

"Not gonna happen." Ingo Garnet, the fashionable leader of Team IVRY, threw her boomerang at Torrence. Mid-flight, the projectile split apart into four smaller boomerangs. One of them slammed itself against Torrence's shield in a fiery blaze. The other three, each glowing with a different type of Dust, flew towards his teammates.

"Scatter!" Regal yelled, dodging a boomerang and dashing towards the other female member of IVRY, Viola Aimest, who smiled and played a piercingly-loud note on her violin. "Ugh!" Regal stopped in his tracks, covering his ears. Viola extended her violin's bow into a short rapier, and gave the young man a quick slash across the face. Snarling in pain, Regal drew several daggers from his belt and began parrying with his foe.

Torrence knocked the Fire boomerang aside and knocked Ingo several feet back with a powerful strike from his axe. A small _clink_ next to his feet caught his eye. Looking at the ground, he saw a small grenade, and quickly stepped to the side before it detonated, sending a haze of tear gas into the air. Squeezing his eyes shut, Torrence coughed as the irritant seeped into his lungs. Team IVRY's heavy-hitter, Ray Opaleuid, chuckled as he readied another bomb.

Heather turned to Harriet. "Can you take him out?" Harriet nodded enthusiastically. "No problem!" Using her Faunus-granted speed, she ran in Ray's direction, casually dodging his grenades before leaping over his head. "Take this!" she yelled, launching an Aura Capsule at him from her gauntlet. The blast sent Ray flying straight into the centre of the ice biome. Grinning, Harriet ran after him.

 _Now to get to the mountains!_ Heather thought. With Viola and Ray distracted, now was her chance. Quickly, she scanned Ingo and the team's final member, Yves MacMarine, with her glasses. It seemed Ingo wasn't quite adept with controlling all four boomerangs at once, and had a history of hitting herself trying to catch them on rebound. Yves used a powerful bowgun that fired Dust projectiles at sonic speed, and when compounded with his partner Viola's sound-enhancing Semblance, it had an enormous blast radius. With that new knowledge in mind, Heather ran for the mountain range.

With Viola distracted by Regal, Yves' arrows weren't as powerful, but Heather still had some difficulty avoiding them as she ran. She sensed a boomerang flying her way from behind, and quickly changed direction, running towards Ingo and firing several bullets at her. Grunting, Ingo staggered from the attack and was promptly struck in the face by her own projectile."Sorry about that!" Heather yelled cheerfully over her back.

Dodging more of Yves' arrows, she quickly made her way up to the mountains, making sure she remained close enough to her opponents to get a close shot. Heather dodged behind cover to avoid a flurry of Dust arrows that embedded themselves in the rock. Peeking out, she fired a few bullets in Yves' direction, who darted out of the way and retaliated with another projectile.

Heather quickly hid behind cover again, and reloaded her pistols.

 _A good old-fashioned sniper match,_ she smiled to herself. _I can get behind that._

Yves was now running towards the mountain trying to close the distance between them. Heather leapt out from behind cover, and fired more bullets at her adversary before running further up the mountain.

Yves reached the spot where Heather had been a minute ago, and stopped to catch his breath. "Can't run from me," he grinned, and turned the corner. His eyes widened. "What th-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the boulder slammed right into him, knocking him all the way down the mountain before landing with a sickening _thud._ A buzzer rang out, signifying his defeat. "Oh my!" Professor Terrion yelled. "I guess you say that was quite a _crushing_ defeat for Mr. MacMarine!" No one laughed at his joke.

Heather winced and rubbed her shoulder. She may have had enough strength to shove giant rocks with her bare hands, but that didn't mean it didn't take a heavy toll on her. She glanced down to see how her teammates were doing.

Back in the ice biome, Harriet darted around Ray's grenades as she avoided the cracks in the ice. Ray was a stocky young man, and wasn't particularly mobile on frozen soil, so Harriet easily outmaneuvered him and struck at him with her claws. Occasionally, she used her intangibility to avoid a bomb hitting her.

Growling, Ray drew several grenades from within his coat and flung them at her. Harriet dodged the first two, but was too slow to avoid the third. Quickly, she grabbed the grenade, careful not to set it off, and flung it back at Ray. Panicking, he tried to run, but slipped and tumbled on the ice. The grenade hit him head-on. _Boom._ The buzzer rang again.

"Nice job, Harriet!" Regal called out to her, parrying a few strikes from Viola. A swift stab from her bow-sword sent him staggering back. "Dammit!" he grumbled. "Okay, that's it. I'm all out of patience." From his pocket, he drew out another combat knife. Unlike his others, it was gold-coloured. Dodging another strike, he leapt behind Viola and threw the dagger into her shadow, where it disappeared into nothingness.

Viola tried to turn around, but her body was frozen. "What?" she gasped.

"Yeah, that's a little of mine," Regal grinned, walking back around to face her. "Shadow Fangs, a gift from my dad. Keeps you pinned in place via your shadow. They only work for a few seconds, but I'd say they're pretty useful." A dagger between each knuckle, he slugged a powerful punch at her.

Meanwhile, Torrence had slowly overpowered Ingo. Using his Semblance, he'd sacrificed a large chunk of his Aura for heightened strength and defensibility. Mustering all his power, he swung two blows with his switch-axe. The first knocked Ingo's boomerang right out of her hand. The second struck her in the chest, sending her flying backward with a scream. Her back met Viola's as they collided midair, knocking off the last bit of their Auras. The two girls crumpled to the ground.

The crowd cheered as the buzzers rang to declare Team HTHR's victory. _Well done, all of you,_ Heather smiled as she watched her team. She was looking forward to working together with them in the years to come.


	20. Rising Tensions

**Chapter 18: Rising Tensions**

Three days later, Summer was still taking in the fact that they had somehow defeated Latte's team and advanced to the doubles round. The idea was just inconceivable to her. Even as Team HTHR had swarmed them after the match and drowned them in cheers, congratulations and fist-bumps, her head had been in a total daze. Embarrassingly, she'd also tripped over herself in her reverie about three times before losing consciousness, forcing Qrow to carry her all the way back to the hotel (apparently, they'd played rock-paper-scissors to decide who'd do it).

After the initial shock had finally worn off, they'd gone out with Heather's team for a sumptuous all-you-can-eat buffet to celebrate their victories that day, during which Qrow had somehow gotten drunk on sparkling vodka, Torrence and Regal ended up shutting down half the seafood district, and Tai had nearly choked to death trying to devour an entire roast pig while breakdancing to "This Will Be The Day". For that last sin, the group had unanimously decided make Tai pay for the entire meal.

The morning after, Team STRQ had decided on who they'd send to the doubles round.

"Well, obviously Rae's gonna go!" Tai said immediately, pointing to his partner. "She was the MVP last round, and she's super popular with the audience, too, so that's a no-brainer!"

Raven nodded, smiling. "I agree. I think our odds of victory increase dramatically if I move on to the next round."

Qrow snorted. "Wow, Sis. There's this thing called 'humility', y'know." "You do realize that means nothing coming from you, right?" Summer responded, rolling her eyes.

"Okay then, who'll be our number-two?" Tai continued on. "I mean, as much as I'd love to spend more time around Rae, Birdy IS her brother, so the two of them would work together best, right?"

"We're siblings, so we get along?" Qrow grumbled. "That's not how life works, pal."

Raven sat there, lost in thought, before responding. "Mmm, actually, I think it would be best if you came with me instead, Taiyang." "Huh?" Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"I think my teamwork with Tai is honestly more efficient than with Brother. Also, many of the arenas-especially those used for the one-on-one matches-are more geared towards close-range combat, at which Tai excels more than any of us," Raven explained herself slowly and calmly. "Any objections?"

"Course not! I'll get us that win for sure, baby!" Tai grinned. "Sounds good," Summer nodded.

Qrow stared at them in disbelief. "Oh, okay. Thanks guys. Way to be supportive, huh?" No one listened to him.

That had been two days ago, and Raven and Tai were now heading to the Amity Coliseum for their match. Qrow and Summer rushed towards the airport in order to make it in time. Suddenly, Summer felt her Scroll vibrate. Absentmindedly, she took it out.

The message instantly snapped her back to reality. _I have some news that you might find interesting. Of course, if you would rather watch your teammates' match, I understand. But if you want to hear what we have to say, please head to Atlas Academy immediately. I'd prefer if you brought no one, but if you insist, I will not stop you. –Ozpin_

"Hey, Summer, what's wrong?" Qrow asked, seeing that she'd stopped dead in her tracks. Instinctively, Summer tried to hide the Scroll from his view, but she stopped himself. _If this 'news' is about the syndicate, he has as much to do with it as me,_ she thought. _Plus, he can help…if he's in a good mood._ Wordlessly, she showed him the Scroll.

She wasn't quite sure how he'd react. How he did was, in retrospect, a very Qrow-esque response. "'Kay," he nodded, turning towards the academy. "C'mon, let's go."

"H-huh?" Summer asked, confused. "You're not going to, uh, ask any questions? Don't you want to see your sister's fight?"

"Honestly, this is the best-case scenario for me," Qrow shrugged. "I think I'll throw up if I have to see Blondie getting' all 'buddy-buddy' with my sister for five more minutes. I'm going to see what this is about, whether you like it or not." With that, he transformed into a crow and flew off.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Summer yelled indignantly, running after him.

* * *

"Hahh….hahh…" Summer gasped as her legs got ready to collapse.

"What took you so long?" Qrow, back in human form, frowned at her from the steps of Atlas Academy. The enormous schoolhouse was even more imposing from up close.

Summer glared at him. "Well, I'm sorry I don't have the power to turn into a fast-travelling animal whenever I want, _Birdy._ "

Before Qrow could respond with a snarky comment of his own, the doors to the academy opened. A tall, middle-aged with short blond hair and a white military jacket stepped out. "Excuse me, but are you Summer Rose?" he asked Summer. "Oh, yeah, that's me." Summer nodded.

"Very well." The man nodded. For his age, he was quite handsome, and his height and stature definitely gave off the impression of a military leader. "Ozpin said you might come, and he sent me to receive you if you did. Is that young man your partner?" He cast a glance at Qrow.

"Yes, that's Qrow, and he's coming too, if that's alright."

"It's fine." The man smiled at them. "My name is Argent Fox. I am the General of the Atlesian military. It's good to meet you, Summer and Qrow. My daughter, Heather, has told me quite a bit about you."

Argent escorted the two of them to the headmaster's office on the top floor. Summer was surprised that this man was Heather's father, but she did remember her saying her father was in the military. The three of them reached the office. Through the door, Summer could hear people having a conversation.

"If this has something to do with Salem-"came a young man's voice, sounding apprehensive.

"Patience, James." Summer recognized Ozpin's voice. "It won't do to jump to conclusions now. In the meantime, we seem to have guests. Let them in."

The door to the office opened, and they stepped in. Inside stood Ozpin along with two other men Summer didn't recognize. In the center of the room, sitting in the headmaster's chair, was an elderly man with pure-white hair in a brush cut, a pitch-black suit and a stern face unfazed by the many wrinkles obtained from a long life. On his right was a young man in his twenties, with a dark regulation cut and a colonel's outfit. "Hello, Miss Rose," Ozpin smiled at her. "So you accepted our invitation?"

Summer nodded. "Yes. I was sad to miss Raven and Tai's match, but…I think if you have something to say to us, it must be really important."

"Very well. Let us get introductions out of the way first," Ozpin nodded. "It seems you're already acquainted with General Fox. This young man is Colonel James Ironwood." Ironwood nodded briefly at Summer and Qrow. _He looks so young for a colonel,_ Summer noted. _He must be really skilled._

Ozpin gestured to the old man. "And this…is Desmond Onyx, Headmaster of Atlas, and a veteran of the Great War."

Summer smiled nervously at Headmaster Onyx. "I-it's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Please, child. The pleasure is all mine," Onyx spoke in a gruff but affable voice. He certainly gave off the impression of a battle-hardened, wise war veteran. "You two seem like promising young Huntsmen. We always look forward to seeing how the new generation will protect and guide this world into the future. I am sure you have a promising future ahead of you, Miss Rose." He turned to Qrow. "Hmm, and who might you be, young man?"

"Name's Qrow. Qrow Branwen."

"Branwen, eh?" Onyx muttered. "Interesting…tell me, boy, but would you happen to know a man named Luka? Luka Branwen?"

Qrow froze. For a moment, Summer saw something resembling fear in his eyes. "How do you…" He swallowed, and regained his composure. "How do you know Uncle Luka?"

"Ah, so you are related after all." Onyx gave a jovial smile. "I've had the pleasure of talking to your uncle once or twice when he visits Atlas. I do remember him talking about a niece and nephew. How is he doing nowadays?"

Qrow shrugged, as all his tension from a moment ago seemed to vanish. "No idea. I haven't been in touch with him for a while. For all I know, he's still out in Mistral researching centipede Grimm for some project. Wouldn't surprise me."

"Well, that certainly sounds like Luka." Onyx turned to Ozpin. "Now then, shall we begin the meeting?"

Ozpin nodded. "Yes, that seems like a good idea. Well, to put it simply, Miss Rose and Mr Branwen," he said, turning back to them. "We are about to be attacked."

Summer stared at her headmaster in disbelief. "Attacked? Now? But…why? Is this the syndicate's doing?"

"Allow me to explain the situation," Argent stepped into the conversation. His sheer presence immediately silenced even the two older men. "About twenty-four hours ago, an anonymous user uploaded a viral post on the CCT claiming that the criminal syndicate known as the Revenants, notorious for their string of hate crimes against Faunus citizenry, were operating out of the Atlesian military. In the past four hours, we've received reports of numerous riots breaking out all across the Kingdom, most of them organized by enraged Faunus."

Qrow raised his eyebrows. "Wait, seriously? Someone tried to claim that the military are terrorists?! And people are taking this shit seriously?"

"Atlas' history is not as grandiose as it appears on the surface, unfortunately," Argent said grimly. "The enforcement of conscription on Faunus, which created the circumstances that brought out the Faunus Revolution…the countless accusations that our legal courts display prejudice against Faunus defendants...some of our less, ah, accepting leaders, deporting Faunus to the Forsaken Lands...I can see why some people would be less trusting of our military."

"And the perpetrator clearly invested quite a bit of time in this," Onyx added. "That post consisted of over thirty pages of supposed 'proof' that the military has been supporting the Revenants all along...even giving specific accusations of who the 'ringleaders' of this particular operation are. Naturally, most of it is unfounded rubbish, but mindless fools looking for someone to blame? They'll blindly follow anything that supports what they believe."

"That's awful…" Summer murmured.

"So what about us? You want us to deal with these rioters?" Qrow inquired.

"We have no need for that!" Colonel Ironwood said indignantly, glaring at the young Huntsman. "Do you doubt the military's ability to stop such weak enemies?"

"Enough, James." Argent brought out a map of the Amity Coliseum. "It's true that the rioters will be simple to deal with. However, we have reason to believe the riots are nothing but a distraction. The real conflict will occur here." He pointed to an area near the bottom of the floating structure. "Ozpin has informed me of your involvement in the Promethian Ore incident. I believe we've discovered what the syndicate plans to use it for."

"Use it for…?" Summer frowned, before the truth finally hit her. "Oh…" she gasped. "They want to…to destroy the Coliseum with that thing?" She could hardly believe it. Even with everything the Revenants had done so far, it was still shocking to hear that they were planning something at this level of destruction.

Qrow shook his head in disbelief. "Shit…that's insane. So are you saying that the post on the CCT was…"

"…someone tied to the syndicate." Argent finished his sentence. "To incite riots and distract the military from the true threat. And that is where you two come in. As I'm sure you understand, we want to minimize chaos among the populace as much as possible when dealing with this situation. As such, our plan of counter-attack goes like this."

He brought out another map, this one displaying the Kingdom of Atlas. "We will send small platoons of troops, accompanied by several Huntsmen to aid them, to quell the riots with as little violence as possible. Meanwhile, you two will sneak into the Amity Coliseum's core sector, and act depending on what you find there. If the enemy is not present, you will simply guard the room until we have dealt with the situation on the outside, and come to assist you. If they are there, you'll have more of a problem-you'll have to fight them off, and preferably retrieve the Promethian Ore in the process." He glanced up at them. "Do you understand?"

"I think I get the gist of it," Qrow nodded. "But you really want us to go alone? We can't bring anyone?"

"You can call on some your fellow Huntsmen if you wish, though smaller numbers would be ideal. And of course, that's only if you accept that you may be putting them in harm's way."

"Then that's fine." Qrow turned to Summer, a serious look on his face. "Looks like we got our work cut out for us, huh?" Summer nodded nervously. "Yeah…guess we can't mess this one up, huh?"

Argent passed them a silver-plated keycard. "Here. Use this to unlock the door to the engine room. Knowing the syndicate, they will find a way to break their way in before long. Good luck, you two. We'll be counting on you."

Summer nodded again, and said: "Thank you, General. Umm…you don't mind if we get your daughter's team to help us, do you?"

"If you mean Heather, I see no issue." Argent smiled at her. "I've trained her into quite the fine Huntress, much like her sister. If you have her aiding you, your victory is all but guaranteed."

"That's good to know, sir." Summer turned towards the door. "Come on Qrow, let's go! We need to find Raven and Tai!" Nodding, Qrow followed her out of the office.

Argent, Ozpin, Ironwood and Onyx were left in the room. They exchanged meaningful glances with each other. "Sir, are you sure this is the best option?" Ironwood asked anxiously. "They're just children, they're too young to be trusted with something on this scale-especially if it's what we think it is!"

"Considering you are only five years their senior, you have little right to talk about them being 'too young,'" Argent chastised the colonel. "Remember, this was Ozpin's decision." He turned to the professor. "You seemed quite confident she'd show up."

Ozpin smiled enigmatically. "It was a hunch. Sometimes they yield results. That is all there is to it. If we want to speak of confidence, I'm surprised at how much faith Onyx had in his knowledge of the syndicate's plan. It was…quite a bold claim."

"Now, just what ARE you implying, Ozpin?" Onyx grinned back, wrinkling his old forehead. "I must say, though, I didn't expect that the great Summer Rose you mentioned would be quite so, ah, timid. It seems she still has quite a way to go."

"Indeed, she is still a flower that has yet to fully bloom," Ozpin agreed. "She still hasn't discovered her true potential, and if I may be frank, I myself am uncertain of what, exactly, she is capable of. However…"

The old professor looked up at the ceiling, and his eyes were filled with a gaze that made it seem like he was staring, mesmerized, at something no one else could see. "…when she does blossom, I know she will shine brighter than any other Huntsman or Huntress that came before her. That, I can promise."

* * *

Summer and Qrow ran towards the airport as fast as their legs could take them. "Almost…there," Summer panted. "Hey, by the way Qrow, I don't remember you ever mentioning your uncle."

"Luka? Yeah, I never found any reason to talk about him. He's an archeologist wandering around Remnant, looking for artifacts and new species of Grimm to study." Qrow shrugged as he ran. "Everyone in my family thought he was just a crazy old fart, but he's actually really smart. Really knows his shit." He turned his head back in the direction he was running in. "Anyway, let's get a move on. The match should be over by now-we need to find Sis and Blondie as soon as-"

"Hey! There you are!" Right on cue, Tai ran over to them from near the airport. Raven was close behind him. "Where the hell have you been? Come on, Rae and I worked our butts off for that victory and you two didn't even see it?"

"Sorry. Had better things to do," Qrow said bluntly. Summer glared at him. "Something else came up," she corrected him. "This might be a lot to take in…."

Summer and Qrow explained the situation as quickly and concisely as possible. "Seriously?" Tai muttered. "I knew those guys were crazy, but to think they're planning something like THAT...Looks like we need to get back to the stadium as soon as possible."

Raven just stood there, as if silently pondering something. "Sis? You okay?" Qrow asked her.

"All of you, listen to me." She spoke calmly, but her eyes betrayed her tension. She was clearly apprehensive about something. "I know we need to stop the syndicate's plan, but there's one more thing we need to take care of. Let's head back to the hotel first."

"But…why?!" Summer asked in disbelief. "If we're too late, we-"

"Just trust me. Team HTHR is still there; they skipped today's match to train for their round. We'll need their assistance, won't we?"

"Ah…that's right." Summer nodded. "Yeah, I was planning to get their help, too. Let's hurry, then."

"That's not the only reason, though," Raven added grimly. "It's best if I explain with all eight of us present. I have something that I think is very much…worth sharing with them."

* * *

On the other side of the Kingdom of Atlas, in the Krios district, a group of Faunus marched their way through the streets, carrying protest signs and crowbars, smashing up everything in sight. Thankfully, most civilians were still returning from the Vytal Festival grounds, so the streets were mostly empty.

A small squadron of soldiers, clad in the Atlesian military's signature white armor, pulled up in their vans and got out, wielding Taser batons and riot shields. "Halt!" the officer yelled at the protestors. "We ask you to cease your troublemaking and return home! The Vytal Festival is no time for chaos like this!"

"Like you have any right!" a rabbit Faunus sneered. "You military are all just hypocrites and liars anyway!"

"Yeah, why won't you all just fuck off and die?" another protestor yelled. Cheering, the rioters began throwing rotten fruit at the soldiers.

"Tch. If you won't come quietly…" the officer muttered angrily. "We'll have to take you down by force." He gestured to his soldiers, who promptly charged forward, stunning the protestors with their Tasers.

In retaliation, one of the Faunus pulled out a rifle from within his vest. The barrel glowed crimson red. He fired the weapon, killing one of the soldiers. "Bring them down!" he yelled. The other Faunus all brought out similar weapons.

"Dammit! They're armed!" the officer gritted his teeth. "Looks like we don't have a choice. Fire back!"

The soldiers quickly pulled out their tranquilizer guns and began firing into the crowd, trying to subdue the protestors. Suddenly, a rain of bullets came flying down from above, scattering them. "What?" The officer looked up in shock. It was an enemy aircraft, more advanced than anything Atlas had ever made. Now that he got a good look, the weapons the Faunus were carrying didn't resemble any gun models he recognized.

 _Where did they get these?_ He thought, panic rising in his chest. "S-sir!" The voice came from his radio. "We need backup! The rioters in the Hyperion district just opened fire! Th-they've got…air support, and some strange weapons we've never seen before!"

"Just hold on! Reinforcements will be arriving soon!" he yelled back. He raised his gun and charged into what had just become an all-out brawl.

The battle for Atlas had begun.

* * *

 **Edit: So some of you pointed out that I accidentally called Summer "Ruby" at one point. That has now been fixed, thanks for letting me know!**


	21. Truth

**Right, so uh, sorry about there not being any updates whatsoever for the past two-ish weeks. No worries, I'm finally back, and if all goes well I should be able to get back to my Monday & Friday schedule again! For now, enjoy the new chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Truth**

Grunting, Simon hoisted the guard's corpse over his shoulder and hid it in a nearby garbage container. "That should be the last of 'em," he announced while wiping the blood off his rapier.

"Excellent," Buck growled. "Now, let's put an end to this once and for all." The two of them made their way to the giant door that led to the stadium's engine room. The door was labelled with bright yellow signs, saying _KEEP OUT, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS._ Buck took out a fake security card from his pocket and scanned it in the key slot. With a loud beep, the great door slowly opened.

Buck chuckled as he walked in. "Well well, R and their 'Grandmaster' come through for us yet again."

In the centre of the engine room was a large generator, glowing purple Dust energy being pumped through the machine to the rest of the Amity Coliseum. "Finally, we've found it," Buck rasped. "Now then, Simon. Prepare the device."

"Yes, sir." Simon retrieved a metal orb from his pocket. At its core was a large orange Dust crystal-the Promethian Ore. Surrounding the crystal were several sharp razor blades made of Gravity Dust. Simon attached the device to the generator. "The timer on this bomb lasts about ten minutes," he noted. "We'll need to rush to make it out of the blast radius."

"It's alright, lad. We've already got a craft prepped for our escape," Buck grinned. "Now then, we should wait for the next match to begin before starting the countdown. Blowing up a mostly empty stadium wouldn't be very fun, now would it?"

"Will they really continue the matches with the riots in town?" Simon inquired.

"Not a chance," his boss growled confidently. "Humans like them are stubborn fools-cancelling the tournament will be admitting they've lost. We have nothing to worry about."

Instinctively, he touched the black bracelet on his arm. _Everything's ready for the final phase,_ Buck thought triumphantly. _Finally, I'll make my dream a reality._

* * *

Back in the Hyperion district, the air was filled with the sounds of bullets. Slowly, the Atlesian military was being overwhelmed by the Faunus rioters and their superior weaponry. "D-dammit!" The officer yelled into his radio. "W-we need backup!" No response. "We're being overwhelmed!"

"Then let us help," came a young woman's voice.

A series of rays of freezing energy came flying from behind him, striking the rioters' rifles, preventing them from shooting. As they looked down in confusion, an explosive shell landed in their midst, knocking them out and blasting them several feet back.

"Sorry we're late!" Latte yelled, as he and Isa walked up to the remaining Atlesian soldiers. "We'll take care of this." He shot out a wave of napalm from his cannon, making the rioters back up in fear.

The officer breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods...but what about the other districts? They're under attack too!"

"Not to worry!" The Huntsman pulled out his Scroll. "Marguerite, you got our backs?"

"No problem!" Marguerite's voice rang through the device. As she said that, a crimson red bullet struck one of the enemy's aircraft, sending it crashing to the ground. Isa quickly encased it in a structure of ice to stop its fall. "Oops. Sorry about that, guys!"

"Esther, you down to guide the civilians away from the battle zones?" Latte asked. "Yeah! I'll summon some fog to hide them from the rioters!" Esther responded via Scroll.

"Badass. Now then, Team IVRY! FLWR! JADE! You guys all got the other districts under control?"

One by one, the other teams all responded over the Scroll that they had engaged the enemy.

"Then we all know what to do," Isa nodded approvingly, readying her gauntlet. "Everyone, subdue the rioters, but avoid fatalities where possible!"

Latte grinned, preparing to fire his cannon. "Come on everyone! Let's show them what we're made of!"

* * *

"..." All four members of Team HTHR stared at Summer as if she'd gone crazy.

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in," Summer mumbled awkwardly. "But we're serious about this. We really need your help."

They were in HTHR's room, on the second floor of the hotel. Summer and her team had hurried their way there and had immediately burst into a long and very rambling explanation of what was going on, as well as everything about their involvement with the Revenants' activities. That included their encounters with R and Buck, and the Promethian Ore. As Heather's team hadn't heard the news, they'd also spent fifteen seconds explaining that roughly half the city was in the middle of a mass Faunus rioting.

In hindsight, maybe they shouldn't have been so abrupt about it.

"No, no, we believe you." Heather shook her head, a serious frown on her face. "If the city is in danger of any kind, we will help you in any way we can."

"Uhhh…" Regal scratched his head, chuckling nervously. "I mean, I don't actually get all of it, but whatever it is, I'm in!"

Torrence nodded. "You have our full support."

"Th-then what are we waiting for?" Harriet asked, getting up. "We have to get to the Amity Coliseum now!"

"Wait," said Raven calmly. "There's one more thing we all need to know. That's right, all of you." She nodded at her teammates.

Summer frowned, confused. "Huh? What are you talking about, Raven?"

"I mean the truth. The truth about everything-the syndicate, what they're after, and what they REALLY want." Raven pulled out her Scroll and opened a file, revealing a picture of a small black rat with molten eyes. "First of all...I think you all remember this, right?"

"That's...the black thing that came out of Jin Shi-Huang in the Emerald Forest, isn't it?" Heather asked, astonished.

"Wait, wait, how'd you find a picture of it?" Regal demanded. "Even Heather didn't know what the hell that thing was, and she's the smartest person in the school!"

"..." Harriet was staring at the picture, rigid, a strange look in her eyes. Summer thought she looked...confused? Somehow, she felt that wasn't it. Glancing around the room, she noted that Tai and Torrence were looking at Raven with a mixture of surprise and intrigue, wondering where she was going with this. Curiously, Qrow looked rather calm, though judging by his posture he was clearly as tense as the rest.

"This is a special breed of Grimm, and it's not in any history book or encyclopedia," Raven continued, avoiding Regal's question. "It's actually one of the few successful man-made Grimm in existence. The corporation that made them performed their experiments in secret, before being shut down and assimilated by Merlot Industries a few years ago."

"Are you serious? How does someone 'make' a Grimm?" Tai asked, incredulous. "No one's even captured one before."

"I don't know the full details," Raven admitted. "But I do know these rat Grimm were made for a special-and dangerous-function."

"...And what function would that be?" Harriet asked, gritting her teeth, her voice barely a whisper.

"We all know that Grimm are attracted to negativity. These Grimm take it a step further-they are somehow able to affect negativity itself. When they latch onto an individual, it amplifies the victim's dark emotions and desires...and make them do things they'd never do normally. It's very similar to what we know as 'brainwashing'."

Summer's head was spinning. _What? What is she talking about?_ Barring the fact that she had no idea where Raven could have gotten this information from, she couldn't really see why she had to bring it up at a time like this.

"...That does line up with what happened to Jin," Heather muttered. "It would explain why he seemed so irrationally aggressive that day."

"Though to be fair, 'aggressive' is how he always is," Qrow chimed in dryly.

"But…" Heather frowned at Raven. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"That's my next point. You see, the thing about this so-called 'syndicate' that puzzled me the most was how despite the erratic and senseless violence of their actions, next to nothing about their members was actually known. On one hand, they seemed to be a very organized society, with all the advanced technology at their disposal, but on the other, their actual crimes made them seem like nothing but low-level thugs." Raven paused. "But once I knew what that rat Grimm really was...everything made sense. There are NO members of the syndicate, other than R and Buck, and perhaps a few others. The 'Revenants' never existed."

Tai raised his eyebrows, looking more confused by the second. "Never...existed? What does that even MEAN?"

"I mean that they have no actual underlings running around and performing terrorist attacks in their name. The bombing of the department store was an exception." Raven took a deep breath before continuing. "My theory was this: They use the rat Grimm to corrupt individuals into committing crimes against Faunus. That way, they achieve their goals without ever dirtying their hands."

"But what's their goal, exactly?" Tai asked. "We never did find any clues to what they were after."

Heather bit her lip, looking deep in thought. "And you say they targeted Faunus, yet they had Faunus working with them? How does that make any sense?"

"I can answer both of those at once. Their goal is simple. Their plan-and by 'their' I mean two or three people, along with the technology given to them by their 'Grandmaster'-isn't to discriminate against Faunus. It's the opposite. They're Faunus sympathizers." On her Scroll, Raven displayed several pictures of crime scenes committed by the supposed 'syndicate'. "They committed horrific crimes against their own kind, and in doing so, they built up motivation for dissatisfied Faunus to rebel...like, for example, what's happening in the city right now."

Summer tried her best to take everything in. Looking around, she felt slightly relieved seeing everyone else was as bewildered as she was-particularly Team HTHR, who had just had all of this information dumped on them. She glanced at Raven, suspicion of her teammate swelling up inside her. _What she says makes sense, but...how did she get that information?_

"S-so those Faunus rioting down in the streets are working for this...fake syndicate?" Harriet asked, anxiety in her voice. "I guess that'd explain why they have all that fancy tech with them."

"It would," Raven agreed. "But...how would you know about their tech, Harriet? Summer never mentioned anything like that."

"H-huh? Oh. Ugh. I-" Harriet started nervously. Raven cut her off.

"And now for the last part of my little explanation. I always believed that someone close to Beacon Academy was involved in this whole incident. It would explain how 'R' seemed to know things they shouldn't-like Qrow's Semblance being shapeshifting, or the blueprints to the CCT Vaults." She paused, as if building up tension for what she said next. "What really clued me in was Qrow's injury. The night we fought off Buck, my brother was shot by R, and got hospitalized for a few days."

Qrow rubbed his chest, wincing at the memory. "And it still hurts like a bitch couple months later."

"The four of us wanted to keep it a secret, so the next day at lunch, I lied and said he'd come down with a fever. You all wished him well, but…" Raven turned her piercing gaze to Harriet. " _You_ said you hoped he wasn't 'hurt too bad', didn't you? Like you knew what had actually happened…"

"Huh? Wh-wh-what are you talking about?" The rabbit Faunus stammered. "Watch yourself, Raven," Heather frowned sternly at her. "What are you accusing her of?"

Raven simply continued. "From the first day...you always made me feel uncomfortable. My Semblance lets me sense people's presence, as well as their emotional state. That day, you were being viciously bullied before Summer stood up for you. From anyone else, I should've felt some sort of strong emotion radiating from your Aura-fear, anger, even gratitude. But I didn't sense anything like that from you."

"..." Harriet was glaring at her.

"And of course, you ARE a Faunus, so I would say you have some motivation to support such a plan. I don't think trying to blow up the stadium was your idea, though. If I had to guess, that was probably Buck's way of showing off his "power" to his supporters."

"What kind of suggestion is THAT?" Harriet yelled, understandably furious. "Y-you think I'd side with terrorists just because I'm a Faunus? What about all the other Faunus in the school, huh? And besides," she stopped to catch her breath, panting. "You said Qrow ran into this 'R' person in the Emerald Forest, right?! That couldn't have been me, I was with you all the whole time!"

Regal looked down. "...Not the whole time," he muttered. "You did run off for a while saying you were going to chase after the rat Grimm…"

"REGAL!" Harriet stared at her teammate in disbelief.

"Raven, what are you saying?" Summer yelled at her friend, horrified at what she was saying. "Why would you think Harriet's our enemy? Is this just because she's a Faunus?" She didn't like losing her temper, and she rarely did, but she couldn't just stand there and listen to Raven make such absurd accusations against Harriet. "What motive could she possibly have?"

"Because she lost everything she cared about ten years ago in the prelude to the Faunus War-including her good friend, Violet Fortune."

Raven's answer was immediate, quick, and unwavering. A particularly heavy silence followed.

"Violet…?" Tai asked. "That girl who was killed at a protest?"

Harriet gave a sharp, incredulous laugh. "Wh-what kind of accusation is that?! I never even knew Violet! I was living in a whole other Kingdom when the war started! You expect anyone to believe this?"

"No," Raven admitted. "But they'll believe THIS." Holding out her Scroll, she opened up another image.

In the streets of a suburban city, five Faunus children were playing tag. Everyone's eyes were drawn towards to the two girls in the centre-one with long auburn hair and a large fox's tail, and another with short mousy hair, acne, and a short, fluffy white rabbit tail. The photo was in rather low quality, seeming to have been taken by an older model of camera.

The photo seemed to be from an old newspaper. At the bottom of the photo was a caption written in formal font: _Violet Fortune (middle left) was confirmed dead in yesterday's attack. The whereabouts of the other four children (Jake Blackthorne, Mira Bright, Sean Amber, and Harriet Maroon) remain unknown._

The silence in the room grew ever thicker. The tension could be cut with a knife at this point. Slowly, everyone turned to look at Harriet.

"How…" she growled, glaring at Raven with narrowed eyes. "How do have that picture? I thought-"

"-all mentions of your existence were erased from the records?" Raven finished. "They were-but I have my ways of digging up that sort of information. After all, _you're not the only one who has secrets, 'R'_."

Harriet went dead silence for a brief moment. Then she gave a short laugh, as her face curled up into an unpleasant sneer.

"I never liked you much, Raven," she murmured. "I always thought you'd be the one who'd stand in my way."

Before anyone could react, Harriet was gone. In a flash, she'd disappeared into thin air, with no indication that she'd been sitting there a moment ago. The room was quiet once more.

Qrow was the first to speak. "Well then...I guess that settles that."


	22. The Black Jewel

**Chapter 20: The Black Jewel**

Summer stared, disbelieving, at the spot where Harriet had vanished. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Judging from the shocked expressions of the people around her, neither could they.

"What?...What?" Regal gasped. "That can't be. Harriet was…"

"…You're kidding me," Tai muttered, frozen in disbelief.

"…" Heather glared at Raven, who was still standing there, calmly, though her hands were visibly shaking. "Spit it out, Raven. How long exactly have you known about her secret?"

"For about ten seconds, as of now. I always had _some_ doubt as to whether my theory was right," Raven admitted. "Thankfully, Harriet was kind enough to prove it for me."

Summer was staring at the floor, her mind blank. She flashed back to her memories of the rabbit Faunus. Harriet shyly thanking her for standing up for her on the first day. Her sadness at seeing her people being discriminated. The two of them hanging out and buying dresses for dance night. Harriet smiling and encouraging her, reminding her that she was a leader. _Was she…lying? All this time?_

"There's not much time left," Raven said abruptly. "We have to get to the stadium before it's too l-"

Tai stood up angrily. "Wait, wait, we're not done yet!" He walked up to his partner and stared her in the face. "Rae, how did you even _know_ all that? You were in the dark about this whole syndicate thing just like the rest of us, and suddenly you know everything about them?!" He turned to Qrow. "And Birdy…did you know, too?"

"…Some of it," Qrow muttered, looking down. "On the ride to Atlas, Sis told me the gist of her suspicions. But she said she didn't have any proof. Now she does, I guess."

"You _guess_?" Tai asked incredulously. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell _us,_ we should've known about this! And Raven, you still haven't answered my question -"

Before he could finish, Professor Terrion's voice rang out from the speakers. "Attention everyone, the next two-on-two match is beginning in twenty minutes! Everyone, please make your way to the Amity Coliseum as soon as possible!"

"I'm afraid there's no time to answer that," Raven said, grabbing her katana. "Not this time, at least. We need to go."

"But-" Tai protested.

"She's right, Taiyang," Torrence interrupted. "Lives are at stake right now. We can worry about the details later." Regal nodded in agreement.

"…" Summer still said nothing. "Oh, Summer…" Heather murmured sadly.

Qrow frowned awkwardly at his partner. "Hey, hey, snap out of it, kid."

"…Not a kid…" Summer muttered pathetically.

"Come on already! I mean, yeah it's a shock to know someone you were close to was actually evil, but even her teammates are takin' it better than you!" She didn't respond.

"Birdy." Tai sighed. "Why don't you let the people person handle this, okay?" He walked over to Summer and put his hand on her shoulder. "Summer…maybe Harriet was lying about everything. About how she was grateful to you, and how she thought you were a great Huntress, and all that. But _you_ weren't lying, were you?"

"Well…I…" Summer muttered.

"You're a leader, Summer," Tai encouraged her. "And while I don't have any experience in the field, I think being a leader in this situation means getting off your butt and doing something about it. Right?"

"…" Summer sighed, and slowly picked herself back up. "…You're right, Tai. Sorry guys. Guess I'm kind of an idiot." "Not at all," Heather said, smiling at her.

"…Wow. Quite the charmer, aren't you?" Qrow muttered bitterly at Tai. "I do my best," he said cheerfully.

Suddenly, Summer felt her Scroll vibrate from within her pocket. She took it out and saw the sender's name: Latte Adel. _I thought he was supposed to be dealing with the riots. What's he calling me for?_ She put it to her ear. "Hello?"

A loud explosion came from the other end. "Uh, hey Summer?" Latte shouted desperately over the noise. "I hope your teammates are with you right now, because we could use some help."

"Huh? Are there too many of them?" Summer replied anxiously.

"No, no, just the opposite actually! It's one guy! Wearing a mask! He just appeared out of nowhere and started decimating us! We won't last much longer!"

"…" Summer went silent.

"The other teams still have their hands full with the riots. Onyx told me you guys are heading to the stadium, right? Can you spare maybe two, three people to help us out? We're in the Hyperion area. Okay thanks bye!" With that, Latte's voice cut off.

Everyone in the room looked at each other. "Harriet…what are you doing?" Heather muttered.

"I'll go," said Summer, trying to sound assertive. "I'll fight her, see if I can talk her out of-"

"If you're going, I'll come with you," Qrow interrupted her.

"Huh?" Summer looked at him, surprised.

"Well, if you went by yourself, I'm pretty sure you'd try something stupid like trying to bring her to the 'good side' or whatever," her partner said dryly. "And seeing that you not getting killed would be overall better for most of us, I guess it's my job as your partner to make sure you don't do anything stupid. Alright?"

"Um…." Summer was slightly taken aback, but nodded with a smile. "Alright!"

"You've got a bit of charm yourself, Birdy-in your own special way," Tai grinned.

Raven glanced over everyone, then said loudly: "Then we have our objective. Summer and brother will head to the Krios district to help out Latte's group, and subdue Harriet. And the rest of us will make our way to the Amity Coliseum's engine room and stop the explosion. Are we all prepared?"

Everyone nodded. "I guess all that training'll be worth something," Regal sighed.

"C'mon, everyone!" Tai grinned. "We have a city to save!"

* * *

Saying a quick farewell to the rest of the group, Summer and Qrow headed towards the Hyperion district as fast as possible. Before they'd made it very far, they saw an explosion from one of the rooftops in the distance. Qrow narrowed his eyes. "Someone's there-they're in trouble!" He yelled. "I'll go help 'em, you can catch up, right?" Summer nodded, and Qrow quickly turned into a bird and flew off.

When Summer caught up to him, catching her breath, Qrow was holding someone over his shoulder. It was Team LIME's sniper, Marguerite. "Are you okay?" Summer called out to her as she approached.

"She's fine," Qrow assured her. "Hey, what happened to you?"

"Ugh…that went to shit faster than my last Grimmball tournament," Marguerite groaned, getting to her feet. She didn't appear to have wounds, so her Aura was intact, but judging from her gait she wasn't exactly in top condition. Aura protection didn't extent to preventing pain and exhaustion. "That asshole appeared and started blasting us with some weird…dark matter…stuff. Latte and Isa are…holding them off…You sure…you'll be alright?"

"W-we can handle it!" Summer nodded furiously. Once they'd made sure Marguerite could make her way back to Atlas Academy safely, the two of them continued running. Finally, they reached the spot where the bulk of the fighting had taken place. "Oh shit…" muttered Qrow.

The unconscious bodies of both the rioters and the Atlesian soldiers were strewn across the pavement. Isa and Latte lay bruised and battered nearby. And several feet away stood the masked figure, waiting for them.

"I thought you might show up," she said in her distorted voice. "I was hoping for Heather as well, but I can settle for the two of you."

"Harriet!" Qrow called out. "We know it's you, so quit with the stupid disguise already!"

"…" Wordlessly, Harriet obliged, removing her mask and the auburn wig. Looking at her face, Summer saw none of the shy, friendly girl she'd known for the last few months. "Well. Now that you know who I really am, what exactly do you want to do?" In sharp contrast to her usual persona, her voice was cold, confident, and utterly merciless.

"Only one thing we _can_ do," Qrow answered, readying his sword. "Kick your stupid ass, that's what."

"…." Summer glanced at Latte and Isa's bodies.

"They're not dead," Harriet assured her. "I promise that if I'd been fighting to kill, there would have been nothing left of them to find when you arrived."

"…Why?" Summer demanded. "Why did you sneak into Beacon? Why lie to us and pretend to be our friend? What do you gain from doing all this? We all believed in you, Harriet!"

"If you're trying to appeal to me, you'll have to make a better attempt than that," Harriet said coolly. She held out her hand, as a vortex of dark energy swirled from within it.

Summer drew her bow. Despite what Qrow had said, she had no intention of trying to 'save' Harriet. She just wanted to know the reason why her 'friend' would do something like this. But if she wasn't even going to answer that, they'd just have to take her down by force.

"I'll give you a small mercy, however," Harriet mused. "If you can win, and your friends manage to stop Buck's little plan in time, I will tell you the truth-the _whole_ truth, the truth even Raven did not get quite right. Does that sound fair?"

Qrow shook his blade, morphing it into its scythe form. "Fair enough. Beating the crap out of you is all the reward I need, anyw-"  
"Oh. I'm sorry. You must be confused," Harriet interrupted. "I never said _I_ was the opponent." She shot out a black ball of energy from her palm.

"Wha-" Qrow was cut off by the black shape striking him in the face. A pattern of molten-red markings appeared on its surface as it manifested itself. It was a rat-shaped Grimm. It dissolved into a black fluid and quickly flowed, forcefully, into Qrow's mouth. Choking, the boy shuddered for a second before going quiet. Then, slowly, he glanced up at his partner, his red eyes filled with an inhuman rage. He pointed his weapon at her.

"No! Qrow!" Summer yelled.

"Well then. It seems he really doesn't like you that much after all," Harriet chuckled. "I can control his actions to an extent, but like with Jin, he needed to actually have some hostility towards you to begin with."

"Nghh…" Disgusted, Summer readied her bow. "Fine!" she spat at Harriet. "I'll play your game. It's about time I started winning these fights, anyway!" With that, she prepared to meet Qrow's attack.

* * *

"We're here," Heather announced.

After parting with Summer and Qrow, the group had rushed to the airport, and, amidst plenty of pushing, shoving, and hastily apologizing, had caught the first flight possible to reach the stadium. Thankfully, they hadn't been too late. Slipping away from the rest of the crowd, they'd made their way down to the bottom floor, where the engine room was.

"Well, it's now or never, guys," said Tai with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. "Anyone have any last words?"

"Let's not," said Regal dryly.

Raven inserted the keycard Argent had given Summer into the slot. The giant door slowly opened.

A familiar raspy voice came from within. "Well, well, it seems you made it after all. Welcome, all of you."

In the centre of the engine room was the great generator that powered the whole structure. A peculiar device was attached to it. _The bomb,_ Raven deduced. Beside the generator stood two Faunus. Buck, the savage wolf Faunus she'd encountered once before, grinning sinisterly with his chainsaw in hand. And next to him was a young cat Faunus, dressed in a casual red suit, thick black boots, and wielding a rapier.

"Buck, wasn't it?" grumbled Tai. "I did not want to ever see you again. Especially not here."

"So you're Buck…" murmured Heather.

"Heh! You know, it's quite funny," Buck chuckled, stroking his weapon. "I was hoping that no one would arrive in time to stop us. But after a while, I just thought that would be such a pointlessly easy victory. Now, Simon and I can actually have a little fun."

"We have about five minutes left before the next match," the cat Faunus, Simon, said calmly. "We just need to kill you quickly and set the timer before escaping. Piece of cake."

Tai got into his battle stance. "Don't underestimate us Huntsmen! We already beat Buck once, and this time there's five of us! Just try and beat us, you monsters!"

"Blowing up such a revered symbol of peace…" Heather murmured, drawing her pistols. "That's certainly a monstrous crime by my standards."

Buck sneered. "Symbol of peace? Hah! Is that what you humans call it? Because it means something completely different to me! It's a reminder of all the agony my ancestors-no, my whole species-went through as it was built all those years ago! Countless Faunus, forced to mine for rare Dust in the most dangerous mines…working hours upon hours of backbreaking labour, in despicable conditions, with survival as their only salary…being tossed into the cement works once they'd outlived their usefulness…THAT is what your symbol of peace is! Quite literally built on the corpses of innocent lives!"

Everyone stared at him. "What are you saying?" Heather asked angrily. "That's absurd. No one would have approved something like that! That's slavery-it's never been allowed in Remnant from the moment it was formed!"

"You think so? But I'm afraid Remnant was quite different back then, child." The chainsaw blades on Buck's weapon began to whir. "A technological marvel like the Coliseum being built in the aftermath of a worldwide cataclysmic war? One that shook civilization itself to its very core? That would have taken thousands' worth of manpower, and of course the new government didn't want to endanger what remained of humanity on such an extravagant undertaking. But lucky them! Because they'd also just discovered the existence of a new species, one that was almost human, but not quite. And if they weren't human, well-they could do anything they wanted to them, couldn't they?"

"That's enough." Raven fired a bolt of Dust energy from her katana. Jumping in front of Buck, Simon deflected it effortlessly with his rapier.

"That's…that's crazy…" Regal muttered at Buck's revelation.

"My family was one of few who ever knew the truth about our ancestors' treatment and survived," Buck continued. "I decided I'd be the one who would take revenge on their behalf. I'll grant that the outcome of the Faunus War was a start for Faunus equality, but it wasn't nearly enough. I tried reasoning with others of my kind to rise up, but it soon became clear I was the only one who understood what needed to done. So, I took matters into my own hands. And here we are." He raised his hands, gesturing to the bomb containing the Promethian Ore.

"Oh, just stop it," Tai gritted his teeth. He lunged forward, but Simon simply blocked his charge with a swift parry. "Whatever we did to your people might have been horrible, but that was in the past! Killing hundreds of innocent people _now_ doesn't make you any more sympathetic!"

"I can understand why you feel the way you do," said Heather quietly. "I won't make any excuses for what the humans from sixty years ago may have done. But you have no right to endanger the lives of people who had nothing to do with any of that!"

"Wonderful speech, Buck, but now it's time for you to take a rest," Regal snarled, drawing his knives.

"You're through, monster," said Torrence, unsheathing his axe.

Buck sighed. "I never expected you humans to understand. Now then…" Without warning, he pressed a button on the device. The bomb began to flash red. 'Sir…?" Simon asked, shocked. "We weren't supposed to-"

"As of right now, you all have less than fifteen minutes to live," Buck grinned, preparing to attack. "We'll make short work of you and then escape! Crush them, Simon. If you don't want us to die with them."

"Y-yes sir!" Simon charged at the group with his sword. Torrence parried his strike with a grunt. Despite the cat Faunus' lean appearance, his skill with a sword was impressive, and nicely complimented by his agility. This wasn't an opponent to take lightly.

"Take this, son of a bitch!" Regal flung five or six combat knives at Simon, but he dodged them all effortlessly before lunging at him with a powerful downward strike. "Ugh!" Regal grunted in pain.

Meanwhile, Buck fired magazines of incendiary rounds from his chainsaw-gun as Raven and Tai ran desperately to avoid them. Getting impatient, Tai ran straight at him, taking the bullets with a grimace, before slugging Buck's face in with a powerful punch.

Before Buck could recover, Raven swung her katana and struck him in the arm, knocking his weapon away. Growling in pain, the Faunus grabbed Raven's blade with his bare hands, attempting to wrench it out. The katana began glowing with red Dust energy, searing Buck's skin, but he held on.

"Hiyah!" Tai swung his fist at Buck from behind, but he swiftly let go of the sword and dodged. Narrowly missing hitting his own partner, Tai turned around to face his opponent. "You don't seem to have gotten any stronger," he taunted him.

"Still strong enough to scold a kid like you," Buck snarled. "Just die!" Without bothering to retrieve his chainsaw, he charged at Tai with frightening speed, and the two fought blow for blow. On the sideline, Raven readied her sword's energy blast, waiting for an opportunity.

"Khrahh!" Tai grabbed Buck's shoulder after dodging his punch, and threw him towards Raven. "Do it!" he yelled.

Nodding intently, Raven fired her sword beam, impacting the Faunus at point-blank range. "Grahhh!" Buck yelled as he was knocked gracelessly to the floor.

On the other side of the room, Simon was taking on Heather, Regal and Torrence at once. He deflected Torrence's axe swings while swatting at Heather and Regal with quick strikes from his combat boots. Slowly, however, they overpowered him. Simon's cat-like reflexes failed him for one moment, and the price to pay from a giant switch-axe to the face, followed by a swift bullet to the head that depleted his Aura and knocked him to the floor, unconscious.

"Heh! Not bad!" Regal said with a grin.

"How about it, Buck?" Tai taunted as the canine Faunus struggled to get back on his feet. "Looks like your little plan's gone off the rails, buddy."

Buck let out a short, raspy laugh. "Keh-heh-heh…How ignorant. You're standing on your grave, boy."

"…What?" Tai's eyes narrowed. "What else do you have up your sleeve?"

Wordlessly, Buck walked over to the bomb and wrenched the cover open. At its core was a glowing crystal of Dust-the Promethian Ore. He pressed his hand to it. "I'm going to show you exactly what it means to oppose me," he rasped. His body began glowing with energy.

"What's he doing?" Regal yelled.

Heather's eyes widened. "He's…absorbing the crystal?" she gasped. "But if he infuses that much Dust into himself, his body will…will…"

Her voice trailed off. A strange black aura was emanating from Buck's arm. The source seemed to be the black necklace he was wearing on his left arm. She could sense Aura energy flowing from the jewel into the man's body, stabilizing his own Aura, allowing him to absorb more Dust.

Analyzing the black jewel through her spectacles, she was unable to get any reading on it. Despite that, Aura was practically gushing out of the thing like river water. _How is that possible?_

Raven struck him with a direct blow from her sword, but it bounced of his body like it was nothing. "Hahaha…" he chuckled, still clutching the Ore. His veins were glowing red as the Dust flowed through him. His eyes became even more animalistic than before. "This is even better than I imagined. Even without the bomb, like this, I could butcher everyone in the Kingdom like-"

Suddenly, his eyes widened. "…What? What is…" he gasped. He collapsed to his knees. "This power…it's...graaaaAHHRGHHHHHH!"

Screaming in agony, Buck let go of the crystal, his hands now squeezing the jewel on his arm in pain. The black necklace was loosened from his arm and fell to the floor. Buck's body became enveloped in a pitch-black haze. His voice turned from a pained screech to a primal, guttural growl.

When the darkness faded, his figure had been mutated into a giant hideous monstrosity. What stood before the group now was a grotesque wolf creature, its body black as night, with enormously sharp fangs and claws, and red scars all over its body. Its eyes glowed a sinister shade of molten red.

"Grrhhhhh…krhhhhh…." The monstrosity growled.

"What in…" Torrence gasped.

Regal was equally confounded. "Did he just turn into a freaking _Grimm?"_

Raven stared intently at the monstrosity, wielding her katana. "Something about that jewel on his arm…but that can wait. We need to put him down, quickly!"

"Come on, everyone!" Tai yelled. "Time to finish this!"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Next up should be the final chapter of "Volume 1"!**


	23. Decisive Battle

**Chapter 21: Decisive Battle**

Summer barely had time to breathe.

The fight had gone downhill almost immediately. Right from the start, Qrow's brute force had overwhelmed her, even moreso now that he was no longer controlling himself. Her strategy had essentially been simplified to "run away and occasionally shoot." She refrained from using her explosive arrows, so as to not risk hurting her friend.

 _I just need to get that Grimm out of his body,_ she thought desperately. "Snap out of it, Qrow!" she yelled, not expecting it to really help. "You don't want to fight me! You have to free yourself!"

"Don't tell me what I have to do!" Qrow spat at her. There was no indication that he wasn't saying this of his own free will. "I've _always_ known what I 'have' to do, dammit. You're the one who's always _in my way!_ "

"…What?" Summer asked, bewildered. _What does he mean?_

Caught off guard, she didn't defend herself from his next strike. His sword went her flying into the wall. "Ugh!" she grunted, staggering to her feet and retaliating with an arrow. Qrow turned into his bird form and avoided the projectile.

Summer saw Harriet out of the corner of her eye, watching the scene unfold with a look of callous amusement on her face. Impulsively, she pulled her bow back and fired an arrow at her. The rabbit Faunus just swatted it aside nonchalantly. Before Summer could make a second attempt, she was distracted by bird Qrow viciously pecking at her face.

Swearing, Summer began blindly firing arrows, but it was difficult to hit such a small, fast-moving target. Qrow lashed out his claws, striking her right eye, causing her to stumble and scream in pain. The shock of pain in her eye sent a bolt of adrenaline through her, and she straightened herself up and fired another arrow. As if her hand was guided by some unseen force, it struck Qrow in his wing, sending him spiraling down to the ground. He shifted back into human form as he struck the pavement, face first. "Ow…" he muttered.

"Qrow! Are you alright?" Concerned, Summer ran over to her partner. As she got close, she raised her bow in caution. "Look, I need to get that thing out of y-"

"Hrahhh!" With surprising speed, Qrow leapt up, and swung his sword in a massive arc, striking her directly in the legs. Yelling in pain, Summer fell clumsily on her side. Without hesitating, Qrow dashed up to her and tried to stab the blade into her. Summer rolled over to avoid it. "This isn't you! Come to your senses already!" she yelled again.

"Oh, just shut up already! You don't know anything about me!" Qrow hissed, charging at her again. Summer dodged to the side and speared him in the side with an arrow. Her partner retaliated by striking her in the face with a powerful fist, knocking her to the ground back-first. "Ugh!" Her bow fell out of her hand, landing slightly away from her.

Harriet gave a small laugh from the sidelines. "Well, this is entertaining, but I'd like to wrap this up quickly. My job is quite demanding, after all." She held out her hand and muttered a few words. "Come. Finish her off now."

Wordlessly, Qrow bent over and clasped his hands around Summer's neck. "Khhh…" she gasped for air. She struggled to break free, but her arm strength was failing her. Her vision was slowly fading. _Dammit…_ she thought. _What do I do…?_

For a moment, she was sure that she was going to die. But instead of her body growing numb, she felt like it was getting stronger. Like something was pushing her back to the world of the living. Encouraging her to keep fighting.

 _I know this feeling,_ Summer realized with a shock. She'd felt it when her team had encountered R back at Pandora, when she had rescued that hostage from the Grimm. It was like some long-dormant instinct inside of her was being turned on.

Her strength returning, Summer felt the sensation in her arms coming back. She glared at Qrow, staring him right in the eye, and she swore she could see something else staring back, almost terrified. His grip on her neck loosened for one moment.

"Hrahhh!" Summer punched him in the stomach with all her strength. Screaming in pain, Qrow let go of her. Quickly, she got up and retrieved her bow and arrows. Turning around, she saw her partner on the ground retching out a black fluid. _The Grimm!_

Summer walked over to him and retrieved an arrow. Hissing, the rat Grimm began to materialize into its sold form. Before it could enter Qrow's system again, Summer brought down the arrow and plunged it into the thing's body. The rat Grimm gave a single pained squeak and lay still.

 _I did it!_ Summer thought, relieved. She waited for the rat to disintegrate into nothingness like any other Grimm. But it didn't happen. Instead, she felt it dissolve into a thick, black liquid that fell through her hands and onto the pavement, where it soon evaporated. What was left in her hands was a small grey rat that whimpered weakly before leaping out of her grasp and running away. _What in the world…?_

She heard Qrow coughing beside her, and turned around. "Um…are you okay?" she asked him.

"Ugh…Kah…" Qrow spat, before wiping his mouth and looking up at her with an awkward grin. "Shit. Sorry about that, partner. That's what I get for lettin' my guard down, I guess."

Summer breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank god, he's alright._ She helped him to his feet and turned her gaze to Harriet, who hadn't budged from her spot. "Well?" she snapped at her. "Was that good enough for you?"

Qrow readied his sword. "You really tried to screw me over, but now it's our turn."

"Hmm…you've definitely surpassed my expectations," Harriet admitted. "One day, Summer, you might be able to face the Grandmaster head-on. However…that day isn't today."

Behind her, a myriad of dark-red needles materialized out of thin air. Before Summer and Qrow could react, the projectiles flew at him and detonated upon contact. In an instant, all of their remaining Aura was depleted. Summer fell to her knees. "Gah…!"

"What kind of attack was that…?" Qrow growled in pain.

"Still, you did win your battle, so I'll uphold my end of the bargain," Harriet decided. "Tell me, do you remember how the Faunus War began?"

 _Why's she asking this…?_ "Um…it was because the humans tried to banish all the Faunus to Menagerie," Summer recited the story from her memory. "The Faunus rebelled, and when the humans tried to quell them, they ended up killing a young girl by accident…Violet. That's when the war started."

"I'm glad to see you paid attention in class, Summer," Harriet praised her with mockery in her voice. "But unfortunately that's not the whole truth. I find it funny to this day, you know. We-the Faunus-won that war. And they say history is written by the winners. I know all too well that that's not true, though. Humanity still managed to make us look like the real monsters…the animals who started a bloody conflict over a 'tragic accident'."

"What are you talking about?!" Summer demanded.

"If you want to know the rest," Harriet replied, "then make me lose. You'll have more chances, believe me. The Grandmaster wills it." She paused. "Now, then. Go."

"…Go?" Qrow asked, confused.

"There should still be time for you to get to your friends and aid them," Harriet said calmly. "Though knowing Heather and everyone else, they might have already dealt with Buck."

Summer didn't understand. "You're letting us go?"

"My master still has uses for you all," Harriet replied simply. "Summer. The fact is, both my master and Ozpin want the same thing out of you. If you seek to meet their expectations, you'll have to get much stronger. And one day I'll be the judge of that." She smiled. "I really did have fun during my time at Beacon, by the way. Goodbye for now-we WILL see each other again." With that, she teleported away.

Qrow ran over to his partner. "You okay?" he asked, helping her up.

"Y-yeah," Summer winced as she got back on her feet. "Harriet…I didn't realize she was capable of things like that. How…how am I ever going to be strong enough to fight her?"

"Eh." Qrow shrugged. "Still three more years at Beacon-we got time, I think."

"I guess we do. Hey…" Summer frowned at him. "Uh, how exactly did it feel? Being…possessed like that?"

"Possessed, huh? That's not really the right term for what it was, I think. I mean, my mind wasn't blank the whole time that thing was in me. I felt in control of my body…but sis was right, it does, well, exaggerate your more aggressive traits, I guess." Qrow rubbed his head, wincing. "I can't really remember exactly what I did before you helped me snap out of it, though."

"That fits with what happened to Jin." Summer was still staring at him. She remembered what Qrow had yelled at her.

" _I've always known what I 'have' to do, dammit. You're the one who's always in my way!"_

What exactly did he mean by that? What did he 'have' to do? Summer wondered if it had something to do with their…less than friendly interactions when they'd first met. But somehow she had a feeling it was more than that.

Still, those were concerns for another time. "Come on," she said to Qrow. "Let's get to the Amity Coliseum before it's too late." Her partner nodded, and soon they were on their way.

* * *

 _This is no Grimm,_ Raven realized.

The monstrous creature that had once been Buck looked like a particularly hideous Beowulf, but it was no such thing. Raven had enough experience with Grimm to know that they were primal beings, fighting with little to no sense of tactics or reason. Even elder, battle-worn Grimm could never hold a candle to human intelligence.

Yet here this… _thing_ was, dodging and attacking with surprising precision. Every strike was aimed at what could be vital spots. Every move was carefully timed to avoid attacks and maintain an advantageous battle position. Even if there was no sign of Buck's consciousness left, there was no doubt that this monster was a thinking beast.

 _But a beast is still a beast, and can be killed._ Unleashing all of her remaining Dust into her katana, Raven summoned her Aura, building up her strength. She would put everything she had into her next attack.

A short distance away, Tai had activated his Semblance. Glowing with golden energy, he pummeled the monster with flurry after flurry of swift, powerful punches. The beast let out an animalistic snarl and swatted him away with its giant arm. It immediately charged at Regal and Torrence, who barely managed to dodge in time.

Heather unloaded an entire magazine of bullets into its skull. Forming a quick analysis, she yelled: "Our attacks are definitely damaging it! Slow progress, but it IS getting weaker! Let's keep it up!"

"Right!" Torrence swung his axe, striking the beast's arm and making a noticeable dent in its ivory armor. A shower of combat knives were then embedded into its back, courtesy of Regal.

"Graaaaaaahhhhh!" The monster screamed. The veins on its body grew an even more violent shade of red. Its muscles began pulsating hideously, as if they were about to burst open. Raven shuddered as she felt enormous waves of raw energy emanate from it. _It isn't going down without a fight._

Growling, the beast charged forward with even more inhuman speed than before. Caught off guard, Regal was flung all the way across the room from the blow, making a violent-looking crack in the wall. Groaning, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Regal!" Torrence yelled. Desperately, he swung at the beast with his axe, but the beast had learned from the last time. Its body shifted to avoid the blow, before swatting away the weapon almost nonchalantly. Without his axe, Torrence was left defenceless as the beast knocked him out with a single punch.

"It's getting more powerful off of the Promethian Ore's energy…" Heather murmured. "But that much raw power must take a hefty toll on his stamina. This could be our chance!"

"Then let me take it!" Yelling, Tai charged at the beast with his fist poised to strike. Snarling, the beast was ready to meet him. Concentrating all its energy into one point on its body, it swung its jagged arm towards the young warrior.

Their strikes met with a powerful _crunch,_ sending invisible waves of Aura in all directions. Tai screamed in pain, before retaliating with his other fist. This blow struck the monster right in its hideous face, shattering its ivory skull and knocking it over on its back. Tai immediately fell to his knees, clutching his left arm.

 _Now._ "HRAHHHHHHHH!" Raven let out a fierce battle cry as she leapt into the air, holding her charged blade over her head, before plunging it deep into the beast's exposed belly. The monster let out a horrific squeal of agony before it finally went limp.

Raven let out a sigh of relief. She turned to her comrades. "Is everyone alright? No one hurt?"

"Regal and Torrence are fine," Heather assured her. "They're out cold now, but they'll be up very soon. As for Tai…"

"Ughhh…" Tai moaned. His left arm was twisted at an unnerving angle.

"It's broken," Heather made the rather obvious observation. "That blow had so much force behind it that it temporarily disabled his Aura."

"How bad is it?" Raven inquired. Medical matters were one of her few truly weak subjects.

"Not that serious, actually. If he'd, theoretically, lost his whole arm, that would be a different story, but an injury of this scale will be healed by Aura in time. That being said…"

Heather pressed her hand to the broken arm. Her Aura-a light purple glow-began resonating. She was using her Semblance-the ability to speed up the healing of injuries. Within seconds, the arm was back to normal. "There," she sighed in relief. "Now, let's get-"

"GRAOOOOOOOOOOGHHHHHH!"

Without warning, the monster raised its head again. Raven realized too late the consequence of her carelessness. Before she could react, the beast grabbed her and Tai before beginning to glow an ominous crimson.

"What the hell?" Tai screamed.

"It's…it's…" Heather's eyes widened in horror. "It's going to self-destruct. It wants to take us all down with it!"

Raven struggled to break free, but in the beast's iron grip she was unable to reach her katana. The monster's body temperature was growing unbearably hot. _No…this can't be the end…_ she thought despairingly.

In front of them, Heather stared at them. For a moment, she had a strange look of indecision in her eyes. "Don't worry!" she murmured, as if convincing herself. "I think I can stop him!"

She charged at the monster and grabbed it by a tuft of its black fur. Closing her eyes, she began to concentrate. Suddenly, Raven felt all the energy in the room…slowly begin to disappear. At the same time, Heather's Aura felt like it was increasing dramatically.

"Hrahhh….HRAH!" Heather yelled, expelling all her Aura as a single, tangible wave of violet energy that sent the beast crashing into the floor. Its grip on Tai and Raven loosened, and they quickly escaped.

Heather collapsed to the ground, all her energy gone. "Hahhh…" she gasped. "I...gave that a fifty percent chance of working without getting us all killed."

"Wh-what did you even do?" Tai asked skeptically. Raven said nothing. She merely stared at Heather curiously.

Before Heather could respond, the beast made a weak rasping noise from behind them. Turning, they saw it dissolving into black liquid, before evaporating. The ragged, battered form of Buck was all that remained.

"N-no…Absurd. This is…" he rasped, disbelieving. "The Ore….is…."

"Completely drained," Tai noted, examining the now-useless bomb. The crystal in the center had completely lost its orange luster, and was now a lifeless grey husk. "Thanks to you, it's no longer a threat. Nice job fixing it, villain."

"And…my…" Buck gasped. Suddenly, he got up. Frantically, he glanced around the room. "My armlet…the Black Yin…where is it?!" he screamed.

"The Yin?" Heather asked, confused.

"That black jewel, if I had to guess. I don't see it anywhere…perhaps it was shattered during the battle," Raven noted. "Your little protégé's also escaped."

"Simon? That little coward…" Buck snarled. "You may have beaten me, but don't believe for a moment that I-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Tai knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head. "I think you've said enough, buddy," he sighed.

Soon after, Summer and Qrow arrived at the engine room, and Raven opened the door for them. They quickly exchanged stories of what had happened. According to Qrow, the riots in the city were more or less quelled now. All members involved had either escaped or were behind bars now. Raven had then called for the police. "They can clean up this mess better than us," she reasoned. She restrained the unconscious Buck with some rope just to be sure, though.

Once it became clear to everyone that the situation in Atlas had been completely resolved, everyone made their way out of the Amity Coliseum as discreetly as possible.

* * *

"And are you guys just gonna forget that I beat the shit out of that monster?" Tai asked incredulously. "C'mon, give me a little credit!"

They were all on an aircraft heading back to the airport. The seven of them had agreed to keep quiet about the whole incident. Unfortunately, Taiyang Xiao Long didn't really understand the concept of "keeping quiet."

"Shut up, Blondie," Qrow grumbled. "You want the other passengers to hear?"

"I mean, it's not like anyone would believe us even if they did hear," Regal pointed out.

Tai grinned. "You sure you're not just jealous Birdy? Because you didn't help at all?"

"In you damn dreams," he replied.

"Are you alright, Summer?" Raven asked her friend with surprising tenderness. Summer Rose, staring out the window with a glum expression on her face, just nodded silently.

Meanwhile, Heather sat slightly away from the rest of them. There was no one sitting near her, and no one was watching her. _That's good,_ she thought.

Delicately, she rolled up her left sleeve all the way up. On the surface of her pale skin, near her lower shoulder, was a strange sigil. It was etched in a flawless, symmetrical curve that reminded Heather of the slithering movements of a snake. The sigil was glowing violet.

Heather felt herself sweating as she pressed her hand to her shoulder, repressing the pain. _I must have overdone it back at the stadium,_ she thought. _It hasn't acted up like this since the Emerald Forest. I'll have to ask Father about this...but no else must know._

She glanced up at Raven. _What was it you said to Harriet? 'You're not the only one who has secrets'. Heh. If you only knew…_

* * *

After the incident in Atlas had been defused, life went more or less back to normal. The apparent mastermind behind the events, Timber 'Buck' London, was swiftly arrested, and the now-harmless Promethian Ore was put in Atlas custody. Team HTHR and Team STRQ unfortunately dropped out of the Vytal Tournament due to apparent training accidents. The Vytal Festival continued to its end without further interruptions.

Several months later, it was winter. After struggling over the arduous exam week and many sleepless, frustrated nights, it was time for their winter break. Two whole months of free time before Summer and the crew were second-year students.

The day before the break began, all students threw a celebratory party, wishing well all the graduating Huntsmen as well as their own temporary freedom. Summer and Heather's teams also participated in the fun.

"Sho," Tai said, stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes, "Whatchu guysh doin for sheh break?"

"I managed to rent a small place in Patch," Summer replied, sipping her apple juice. She smiled to herself. "Autumn and I will be living there for a while, I hope."

"Huh? Who's Autumn?" Regal asked, confused.

Summer laughed. "Um…a friend of mine. It's kind of a long story…"

Raven turned to Heather. "You think you'll be alright for next year? I hear the second-year courses are much more intense, and you no longer have a partner."

Heather's cheerful smile disappeared. "I think I'll be fine. As far as everyone knows, Harriet just transferred out of Beacon all of a sudden. I hear Atlas or some other Academy will be sending a transfer student over here for next year."

"…" Summer looked down at her empty plate.

"Come on, cheer up," Tai encouraged her. "Don't worry about Harriet. We're all gonna get much stronger over these next few years. Besides, I seriously doubt her plans are finished. We'll see her again, I'm sure of it. For better or for worse."

"…Yeah." Summer smiled at him. Tai always did manage to make her feel a lot better.

"Alright, that's enough talk," Qrow said in a slurred voice. Summer noted with annoyance that he was slightly drunk. He'd somehow smuggled in a bottle of whiskey from the senior students' supplies. "Whatever crazy shit comes our way next, we can worry 'bout that later. Let's just be glad we survived our first year in this hellhole eh?" Clumsily, he raised his glass.

Summer couldn't help but laugh. Qrow was right. Worrying was something to do later. She looked around at her teammates. They would go through much worse trials in the years to come, but they'd always make it through. Together.

She believed that. With all her heart.

"Alright then. Cheers," Tai grinned, raising his glass. "To the coolest team in Beacon!"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading all the way to this point, everyone! I'll release an extra chapter tomorrow (or on Sunday if I don't finish it on time) that serves as an epilogue to "Volume 1" of this series.**

 **I'm planning to write the first few chapters of "Volume 2" before taking a break and working on other projects, like Fate of all Fools and the Monster Hunter crossover I'm planning. Look forward to those!**


	24. V1 Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"So how did it go?" The man's voice said over the Scroll.

"Well enough," Raven replied. "We made quite a few new friends, and had some interesting experiences. It was certainly more enjoyable than I expected."

"I'm glad to hear that." The man smiled. He was a skinny fellow of about fifty years, with coarse black hair, large round spectacles, and rather short stature. "I was somewhat worried when the two of you decided to leave and go off on your own, but it seems you've looked after yourself quite well. I'm sure Thoron would be pleased to see his kids all grown up."

"Yes," Raven agreed. "Though I'm not sure what Father would really want if he were here, honestly."

The man chuckled amiably. "Now, now, don't sell your father so short. He always wanted the best for you, you know. Anyway, was the research I provided helpful?"

Raven paused for a second before answering. "It certainly was. I'm surprised you knew so much about unconfirmed Grimm types and the Faunus War. Our school research project was a huge success thanks to your information."

"It's always my pleasure to help you two out," the man replied. "That being said, where is Qrow right now? Is he not at home?"

"Ah, he's currently out getting the groceries. Knowing him, he won't be back for at least a few hours," Raven said with a smile. "Do you think you'll be in Vale anytime soon?"

"Ahaha, that's up in the air right now, I'm afraid," he said sheepishly. "I've found a new archeological dig here in the Vacuo desert, but it seems the trail to my next lead has gone a bit cold. If you really miss me, though, I'd be happy to put my work aside for a few days."

"No, no, it's alright," Raven smiled. "Thank you again for your help. I'll talk to you later, Uncle Luka." She closed the Scroll.

"Well?" Qrow asked from the corner of their room, where he'd been standing the whole time. "Do you think he knows?"

"Highly unlikely. And if he did, there's little he can do about it at this point," Raven replied. "Whatever power Luka Branwen had over us disappeared seven years ago. He didn't stop us from attending Beacon, whether he knew our real purpose or not. That tells me all I need to know."

"…If you say so." Qrow sounded skeptical. "So have we found what we were looking for?"

"Not yet," Raven admitted. "I think we're coming close…but there still could be a while before we obtain it. We knew what we were getting into when we started this course, brother."

"Tch. Great," her brother spat, kicking at the floor. "So we're still on our own, eh?"

"Our own?" Raven smiled. "Now what are you talking about, I wonder?"

"Huh?"

Raven glanced around their room. It was a modest house in the outskirts of Vale. It was cheap enough to afford and maintain, which was enough for Raven, regardless of any complaints Qrow could make. "Summer. Taiyang," she recited. "And Heather, Regal, Torrence, and all the others we've met since we arrived in Beacon. There's no way you haven't noticed, brother. They are all our friends now. And when the time is right, they'll fight by our side."

"You're the last person I ever want to hear give me a lecture about 'friends'. You know that, right?" Qrow grumbled, but he nodded in agreement with her words.

"The stage has been set," Raven murmured. "And with their aid, I have no doubt that we'll put on a fine performance."

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin shuffled through the paperwork. Transcripts from aspiring first-years were coming in, and he already had plenty of work on his hands. He'd have to shove some of his labour on poor Glynda if he wanted to meet his deadline at this rate.

"Busy, aren't you, Ozzy?" The jovial voice of Headmaster Onyx rang out from the projector screen. On the screen, the elderly Atlas headmaster sat at his desk. Argent Fox stood at attention by his side. The two headmasters were in the middle of a meeting.

"It is nothing that will slow me down, I hope," Ozpin smiled. "Now then, Argent, your report on the interrogation, if you will."

"The prisoner was surprisingly willing to answer our questions," General Fox began, his voice clear and sharp. "Timber 'Buck' London admitted to being the mastermind behind the attempted bombing of the Amity Coliseum, and he enlisted the help of thief Simon Carabas and the mercenary 'R'."

"But we knew all that already," Glynda pointed out agitatedly. "Did he say anything about this 'Grandmaster' figure?"

"No, unfortunately it seems he knows nothing about that matter, other than the fact that 'R' reported to them constantly and they provided the advanced weaponry that we recovered after the riots in the city," Argent replied. "Considering his honesty about everything else he said, I don't believe he's lying."

"That's unfortunate, but we can discuss it at a later time," said Ozpin calmly, sipping his coffee. "Now then, Desmond, what do you think of Miss Rose?"

"Ah, I'm afraid you've yet to win me over on that regard, Oz," the old headmaster said with a smile. "While that girl may possess the Eyes of Lycanthra, her strength still has a long way to go if she plans to become the Warrior. That being said, Latte seemed rather pleased to meet his fellow candidate. Time will tell if she lives up to your expectations."

"Indeed," Ozpin said. "And both Haven and Shade have yet to choose their candidates…I fear her time may come sooner than I originally thought. " On that ominous note, they ended the conversation and the projection disappeared.

"Are you sure about this, Headmaster?" Glynda asked.

Ozpin sighed. "I am. But I have my concerns, and not just regarding young Miss Rose. This most recent incident has brought up several old fears of mine. For one, these mysterious new Grimm, and the method in which Mr. London was forcibly transformed into a Grimm-like creature…it is all too reminiscent of what conspired in Atlas several years ago-that military experiment which went horribly wrong."

"The Ouroboros Project?" Glynda asked sharply. "But that was shut down for ethical violations almost immediately after it began. General Fox and Headmaster Onyx saw to that personally."

"And yet, Argent was the one who initially proposed the idea. And not all of the assets from the project were lost forever-I have no doubt of that." Ozpin's voice was grim. "They enlisted the aid of Merlot Industries to perform the experiments-and Dr. Merlot always had a habit of ensuring that his creations…stuck around."

"…What are you suggesting?" Glynda asked, sounding worried.

Ozpin shook his head slowly. "Consider it the musings of a tired old man, Glynda. Perhaps nothing will come of it-or perhaps something will. All we can do for now is be sure we are ready for whatever happens next." He smiled up at his secretary. "Now then, fetch those transcripts, will you?"

* * *

Harriet Maroon walked through the barren lands. All around her was a sea of crimson, illuminating the world with the light of despair. The Grimm, the shadowed creatures of the night, starving and feral, growled savagely as she approached.

But she wasn't afraid. She simply held out her hand, whispered a few words, and they backed away from her with a whimper. Steadfastly, she continued onward.

After what felt like an hour of walking, she stopped once she felt it. _The terror._ Even with her training, she wasn't privileged to enter more than the most outward levels of her master's realm. If she entered any further, the greater fiends, far more ferocious than anything man was ever meant to witness, would devour her.

"Grandmaster Salem!" she called out. "I have returned."

A pause, and the voice came. _Excellent work, R. So then. I take it that Operation Yin was a success?_

Harriet smiled. "It was indeed. Buck certainly had trouble cooperating, but I still managed to obtain the artifact." She held out her hand. Clasped in her palm was Buck's armlet. The jewel levitated out of her grasp and vanished into the void.

 _An artifact capable of producing limitless power from the abyss…the 'Yin'…_ the Grandmaster murmured. _At last, we have retrieved it._

"More accurately, Simon did," Harriet noted. "He put on a convincing act, I'll admit. Buck had complete trust in him from the start. Lying and acting really are his specialty."

 _As are yours._ Salem chuckled. _He vanished after delivering the Yin to you, correct? And you are unaware of his current whereabouts?_

"Unless he plans to compromise us-which I highly doubt-I couldn't care less where he goes," Harriet said coolly. "We wouldn't have had to go through this trouble if I had simply taken the Yin from Buck."

 _It was useful to keep Buck around-if his little terrorist act had succeeded, it would only have furthered our goals. Even if it did not, we still got what we desired, did we not?_

"We did," Harriet admitted. "I see your point, Grandmaster."

 _Good. Now that we have the Yin, the plan moves on to its next stage._

"I've already summoned the parties involved," Harriet reported. "The Reaper of Fates, the Dreadnought, and the Thousand Minds. All terrors in their own right, but together…heh, quite a fearsome combination."

 _I look forward to seeing them bring success to our goal,_ the Grandmaster agreed. _I believe Onyx will be overseeing this particular phase._

"Desmond Onyx…" Harriet seemed skeptical. "If I may say so, Grandmaster, I dislike him. From what I've seen, Ozpin seems to trust him, but surely _he_ of all people would know the headmaster of Atlas was secretly on our side all along, wouldn't he?"

 _All I can say is that dear Ozpin is both wiser and more foolish than he appears-which is precisely what makes him dangerous,_ Salem said cryptically. _Now then R, do with your time as you wish. You'll be observing the plan once it unfolds, but for now, you have earned your rest._

Bowing courteously, Harriet left.

Somewhere in the darkness, the one Harriet called the Grandmaster smiled to itself, holding the Yin in its cold hands. A sinister energy flowed out from within that black abyss.

 _Now, after all this time, I can begin,_ Salem whispered. _Prepare your pawns, Ozpin. I shall respond in kind._

Across the land, a sudden ripple of the energy engulfed everything-an energy that was Aura, yet at the same time something entirely different. As the dark energy flowed into the Grimm, they howled in agony.

Some collapsed on the spot, as their bodies imploded in a hideous burst of pitch-black sludge and ivory bones. Others, stronger and more resilient, bore the pain, and felt themselves grow. Great blades and spikes protruded from their backs, their fangs became sharp as steel, and even as their bones were crushed to powder, their bodies and armour expanded, mutating them to grotesque sizes.

But it was more than a physical change that the Grimm experienced. While they were borne from the negative emotions of man, they felt very little emotion themselves. The older, wiser ones could feel hatred, rage, and bloodlust, but they could barely comprehend what they those feelings were. Yet now they felt something that they'd never had before.

Desire. The centerpiece of the human mind, and the lynchpin of all of man's actions.

And now the beasts of the night had but one desire.

 _War,_ they screamed. _War._

 **End of Volume 1-The Silver Will**


	25. V2 Prologue

**Volume 2: Snakes and Shadows**

 **Prologue**

 _Patch, on the West area of Vale_

The young girl wandered around in the frontyard, breathing in the fresh morning air. As she exhaled, she could see her breath materialize in the cold sky. It was winter, and a year ago, she would have been curled up on the street, covering herself with her ragged scarf, shivering herself to sleep. Now, however, things were better.

 _Soon it'll be spring,_ the girl smiled to herself. _I can't wait unti-_

 _BOOM!_

She heard a violent explosion come from the top floor of her house. Surprised, the girl turned and ran in as fast as she could.

Opening the door to her bedroom, the girl was immediately blinded by a wave a grey smoke emanating from somewhere in the room. "A-are you alright?" she coughed, rubbing her eyes. "M-mommy, you okay?"

After a few moments, the smoke cleared. A young woman stood there, her white cloak covered in ash. She coughed as she dusted off her dark-red hair.

Summer Rose gave a weak smile at the girl. "I'm alright, Autumn," she said. "And please, don't call me 'mommy'. I'm way too young to be your mom, anyway."

"But you're basically my mommy, you know," Autumn pouted.

Summer supposed she had a point. Ever since she'd first met six-year old Autumn during her first year at Beacon Academy, she'd felt a certain motherly instinct towards her. It was partly why she'd agreed to take in the homeless young girl once the winter break started.

"Soooo...what were you doing?" Autumn asked, tilting her head to see the source of the smoke. "What caused that ka-boom a second ago?"

Summer smiled. "It's a secret, Autumn. Let's just say it's something for school I've been working on."

"Ohhh, that sounds interesting," Autumn giggled, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Is it something you're making for your boyfriend?"

Summer's face flushed beet-red. "B-boyfriend…? No, no. I don't, um, have a boyfriend, silly. Tai and I are just friends. We're not THAT close…"

"...Tai? Oh yeah, he's the blond one." Autumn cocked her head to the side. "I was talking about the other man. The black-haired guy with the scowl who came to visit the other day."

"Oh, that's Qrow," Summer laughed. "Him, my boyfriend, huh? That's actually pretty funny...but no. He's just been helping me build this thing."

"I see." Autumn raised her eyebrows, grinning from ear to ear like a cat. "But mommy, why were you so sure I was talking about Mr. Tai when I said 'boyfriend'?"

"Um." Summer was left speechless. "Well, I…"

"Heehee! Just kidding!" Autumn laughed chirpingly. "Anyway, what are you making, mommy? I wanna see, wanna see!" She stared at Summer with her puppy-dog amber eyes.

"No," said Summer bluntly. "You are not going to see what it is until I'm finished. Is that clear?" She made her voice as stern as possible.

It took a while, but Autumn caved in. Pouting adorably, she stomped out of the room. Breathing a sigh of relief, Summer turned back to her work. "Now then, let's finish this," she murmured. "I can't wait to show this to the team once it's done…"

* * *

 _Unknown location_

Headmaster Ozpin adjusted the telescope, altering its direction slightly until it was at the angle he desired. Nodding in approval, he leaned forward and gazed through it. A smile came across his face, and his expression became that of someone at peace, calm and tranquil.

"Fiddling with old toys as usual, Ozzy?" The gruff voice from behind startled him.

"…Desmond." Ozpin closed the telescope lens and retrieved his spectacles. Turning, he greeted the old man with a smile. "You are as punctual as always, my friend. Did you really walk all the way to this lonely abode?"

Desmond Onyx, Headmaster of Atlas Academy, walked nonchalantly into the room, glancing around. "You say that like it was any challenge, Oz," he smiled, and Ozpin believed him. Onyx's 94 years had not diminished his incredible resilience in the slightest.

"Still, though, that telescope thing is an eyesore," Onyx muttered, glancing at the giant structure that took up much of the centre of the room, protruding upward into the night sky. "Among the troves of secrets we keep here, it might was well be a piece of junk."

"You might say that, but it has, you might say, sentimental value," Ozpin replied. "When I gaze into the stars, I am reminded of the potential of mankind, and I am able to hold on to hope for just a bit longer."

"My, how nostalgic!" Onyx laughed jovially. "But come now, Oz, we're not here to discuss sentiments. Sit down. Let's discuss this over some nice Atlesian tea…though I suppose you'd prefer coffee, as usual."

The two old friends sat down at the table. On it sat an old chess board, its pieces rugged and worn from age. Ozpin made the first move. Moving a pawn two spaces ahead, he took a sip of coffee. "Now, Desmond, you wished to speak to me regarding the Warrior, correct?"

"That I did," Onyx smiled, moving his knight. "It appears that Thane has selected his candidate…but in secret. A…reliable source informed me of this, and I figured you should be the first to know."

"You flatter me." Ozpin took another sip of coffee, his expression serious. After a few moves, he continued: "Now why would the headmaster of Shade Academy wish to hide this from us? I can only imagine the details of his choice would be met with…reservation from the council."

"Now, Ozzy, you hardly have authority to say that, after you named a first-year girl of all people as your candidate."

Ozpin said nothing. He glanced at the chessboard. His queen was cornered by the black rooks and pawns. No matter what he did, she was lost.

"Ah, it seems I've got you there," Onyx chuckled, though not unpleasantly.

"Thane will answer for his decisions at a later juncture. The incident regarding the Maidens still hangs a dark cloud over his reliability," Ozpin said grimly, changing the subject.

"The Four Maidens…" Onyx muttered. "The power has been inherited yet again recently, hasn't it? It won't do for it to fall into the Dark Queen's hands."

"No it wouldn't," Ozpin agreed. "On that subject, Desmond, how long exactly have you been working with Salem?"

He asked the question with all the urgency of someone wishing to know the time.

If Desmond Onyx was in any way surprised by the sudden accusation, he made no indication of it. "So you _did_ know," he grinned. "For the record, I've been with her since the very beginning, old friend. All those years ago. For a while, I'd flattered myself thinking I'd deceived the great and powerful Ozpin, but as I grew older, I became more perceptive, you see. I took notice of you always keeping a particular close eye on me. And whenever someone I needed…out of the way just so happened to take a different route home or go on a sudden vacation to Mistral…well, it was so very _you_."

Taking in these treacherous words, Ozpin calmly set his rook in front of the black king. _Check._ "Let us get to the point, Desmond. Why have you revived the Ouroborous Project?"

"If you're really as wise as I think you are, you'll find out soon enough," Onyx replied, moving the king out of harm's way. "Dr. Merlot was so kind as to lend his aid, and Argent has been working himself ragged to make the project a reality."

"So General Fox is in on it too, hmm?"

"Of course. Argent has been of invaluable service since he joined us. You never noticed?" Onyx leaned forward. "The Dark Queen told me this, Ozzy. At your core, you are a cowardly man. You sit backstage, in all your infinite wisdom, while others ignorantly shed life and limb for your desires. You didn't even do anything to stop me from providing Harriet Maroon with valuable intel on you and your secrets, despite suspecting my loyalty. I could have killed you plenty of times all these years-and I could do it now, if I wished!-yet you have done NOTHING to impede me. Why is that?"

"Because at your core, you are a selfish man, Desmond," Ozpin replied, as calm as ever. "While you may claim to ally yourself with Salem, in the end you are loyal to no one but yourself. You will twist your orders to suit your own needs. Why else would you have aided us during the incident in Atlas a few months back?"

"Hahaha! Touché." Onyx grinned.

"Selfish men are always easy to predict. If I had you under my watch, I could limit your activity far more than I ever could had I thrown you out the moment I suspected." Ozpin glanced at the old headmaster, narrowing his eyes coldly. "But now…I believe things will be slightly different. Continue on your path, Desmond, at your own peril."

"Peril? From whom?" Onyx laughed jovially. "Your little silver-eyed warrior? I sincerely doubt it."

"She may well surprise you-indeed surprise us both," Ozpin cautioned.

"I certainly hope so." Onyx glanced at the board and grunted in irritation. "Bah. Another stalemate."

He flashed a sinister smile at Ozpin. "Well then, Ozzy, I look forward to continuing our little game… _very_ soon."


	26. New Arrivals

**Chapter 1: New Arrivals**

All was darkness. Gasping for breath, Summer glanced around her frantically, clutching her bow in her hands. There was no sign of the enemy. She checked her Aura level on her Scroll. _25 percent…not good._ Closing her eyes, Summer tried to listen for sounds.

 _Thump. Thump._ Footsteps to the right. "There," Summer muttered to herself, turning in that direction. She drew her bow, ready to fire.

A blast of bright-red energy lit up the darkness, flying toward her. Summer dodged out of the way as the projectile barely scraped the surface of her neck. In that split second, she could see the enemy's shape dart back into the blackness. Gritting her teeth, Summer fired a fire-Dust infused arrow in their general direction.

There was an explosion of bright, blinding light. As flames lit up the area, Summer's opponent spat in frustration. They leapt at her, holding their sword above their head.

Rather than dodge out of the way, Summer stood her ground. She took a deep breath. _Okay. Time to see if this works._ Grabbing her bow, she flipped two small switches on the ends of the weapon. With a smooth _swish_ , the bow split into two halves, and sharp silver blades jutted out from each end.

"Hrahh!" Remembering her practice, Summer swung her right blade, meeting her opponent's strike. Sparks of crimson and silver lit up the darkness. However, it became clear to her that she was still outmatched. Swiftly, she pulled the trigger on her blades. From small barrels protruding from below the swords' edges, short bursts of pellet gunfire shot out, disorienting her opponent.

In retaliation, they swung their blade, catching Summer in her lower abdomen. A burst of red Dust energy from the weapon sent her flying into the air.

 _But now I have the height advantage,_ Summer thought. Quickly, she attached her dual blades together, turning it back into a bow. Turning in her opponent's direction mid-flight, she placed three explosive arrows into her bow and fired them all one by one.

She missed the first, and the second, but not the third. _BOOM!_ The enemy went down.

Summer landed, flailing clumsily as she hit the floor. Graceful landings were something she had never really improved in. "Are you alright?" she called out anxiously into the dark.

"Ah…I'm fine. I'm glad you didn't hold back." The voice of Raven Branwen responded.

A loud buzzing sound filled the room. "And that's the match!" Professor Glynda Goodwitch called out.

The lights in the combat room came back on, and Summer and Raven were greeted by the applause of the fifty-something first-year students in the audience.

"Skills like these are what we will expect of you all as you progress through the Beacon curriculum," Professor Goodwitch narrated to them. "In this combat course, you will also be evaluated on your ability to cope in various situations a Huntsman might face. Fighting in total darkness, as we just demonstrated, as well as stormy conditions and treacherous landscapes-a Huntsman must be prepared for all of these. We expect only the best from all of you. Please, another round of applause for Miss Rose and Miss Branwen for participating in this demonstration!"

The audience applauded again, this time with cheers. "You guys are so awesome!" "I loved you in the Vytal Festival Tournament!" "Go out with me, Raven!"

Raven walked over to Summer, brushing herself off. "Well done," she smiled at her. Although she seemed genuinely happy for her friend, Summer noticed a tinge of resentment in her voice. "You really seem to have improved over the break."

"Thanks…but I think it's more due to this than anything." Summer smiled down at her new bow.

Shortly after winter break had started, Qrow and Raven had come over to her house for a visit…and a proposition.

"If you wanna get stronger, you'll need a better weapon," Qrow had stated. "A measly wooden bow isn't gonna kill much high-level Grimm."

They'd provided her with some basic blueprints, instructions and materials, but had left the details to her own discretion. Qrow would stop by from time to time to help out, albeit reluctantly (or so he claimed).

Summer had decided to go for a more versatile direction with her bow-now it also functioned as two dual bladeguns. The Wind Dust bullets that they fired weren't very damaging, but were useful as a quick stun maneuver. Also, the bow itself was much more flexible and efficient-she could fire more arrows at a time, and at a faster speed. All in all, it was a significant improvement over the one she'd previously used.

 _Phoenix Heart._ That was what Autumn had called it when she saw it for the first time. Summer thought it sounded as cheesy as something out of the girl's favourite morning cartoons, but eventually she'd warmed up to the name.

She wondered how Autumn was doing now. She'd left her back at her home in Patch under the watch of a babysitter, a disgruntled middle-aged woman named Tremina.

"How long'll you be gone, mommy?" Autumn had asked as she'd left, tears forming in her eyes.

"For the last time, I'm not…oh, forget it," she'd sighed. "I'll come back for the summer break, alright. And if we ever get a surprise long weekend where I'm not drowning in homework, I'll come visit you."

"Oh…okay," Autumn had sighed resignedly, turning back to run towards an impatiently waving Tremina.

 _She'll be fine,_ Summer reassured herself. If she was worried about anything, it was that Tremina, that old hag, would run her wallet dry by the end of the year.

"Want to go down to the lounge?" Summer asked Raven. "Tai and Qrow should already be there."

"Sounds good to me," Raven smiled.

* * *

 _Student Lounge, Beacon Academy_

The lounge was filled with students. It was the first day of school, so there were no classes. Many second-year-and-up students were hanging around in the room playing Hunters VS Grimm, reading books, or getting a snack from the half-dysfunctional vending machines.

On a table nearby, Summer's gruff partner and Raven's twin brother, Qrow Branwen, sat talking with Raven's partner, the blond martial artist Taiyang Xiao Long.

"And then I said, 'now THAT'S a katana!'" Tai narrated, gesturing dramatically with his hands. "And the ladies all seemed to love it, and hey, I had nothing to do for the rest of the day, so I decided, heeey, they could sure use my lovely company for just a little longer, right…?'"

"You're making that up," Qrow said bluntly.

"Hey, come on, Birdy. Why would I lie?"

Qrow sighed. "You expect me to believe you smashed an entire nightclub's worth of chicks over a joke you stole from a kids' cartoon."

"Well I'd like you to believe it, but I actually just got booed off the stage with a bunch of rotten apples and banana peels," Tai admitted sheepishly.

"So basically, you were lying about the whole thing," Qrow grumbled.

"Well, I wouldn't say 'lying'. I just…wasn't telling the whole truth."

"Funny you say that, there's a word in the dictionary for that. Know what it is? _Lying!"_

"Shhh!" From the other side of the room, Heather Fox glared at the two boys, holding a finger to her lips. Next to her on the couch, an unfamiliar young man was lying on his back, snoring, with a textbook covering his face.

Summer and Raven walked up to the table. "Hey guys," Summer greeted them.

"'Sup." Qrow waved back. "How'd it go?"

"Quite good," Raven smiled. "Summer has improved considerably. It looks like our help was worth it, brother."

"Heey, good on you, Summer!" Tai grinned at her, flashing a big thumbs-up. Summer felt herself blush just a little.

"You didn't even help her at all," Qrow grumbled.

"I was with her in spirit," Tai replied cheerfully.

"What does that even MEAN?!"

Raven walked over to Heather. "I hope you're up for some sparring later today." she said to her fellow ace student.

"Sure thing," Heather smiled. "I'm down for some practice, once I get this waste of human space to do his homework, at any rate."

Beside her, the boy stirred, the textbook falling off his face. He had messy, ash-blond hair and ice-blue eyes. "Hrrmmm….is it lunchtime 'lready?" he yawned.

"No," said Heather. "It's time for you to finish the remaining fifty-seven questions I've assigned for you."

"Wha…but there isn't even class today," he moaned, turning over on the couch.

"The Beacon curriculum is different from Atlas. If you want to survive here, you'll need to become accustomed to it."

The lazy young man simply groaned and covered himself with his coat like a blanket.

"Umm…who is that?" Summer asked. The boy's coat didn't look like anything of Valian make, with its peculiar white stripes and soft-looking fabric.

Heather poked the boy violently. "This _thing_ is Mr. Herman Whitehead, formerly a student of Atlas Academy, and unfortunately my new partner. He's…Harriet's replacement."

Summer laughed nervously. "He has no idea what he's in for."

"He's not gonna survive the month the way he is now," Qrow chuckled.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," Herman turned back over, smiling sleepily. "Gotta say though, this place is great! Not sure why your friend wanted to transfer out-sucks to be her, eh?"

There was a moment of silence. No one really wanted to talk about Harriet Maroon, Heather's former partner, who'd been revealed to have participated in a terrorist plot last year.

"So why'd you transfer out of Atlas, Herman?" Tai asked.

Herman shrugged lethargically, flipping aimlessly through his book. "Uh, well, I couldn't keep up with all the homework they crammed down my throat, so I thought, 'hey! Maybe Beacon'll be easier!' My partner doesn't seem willing to let that happen, though."

Qrow snorted. "That may be the worst reasoning for anything I've ever heard in my life."

"Well, if he got accepted into the Huntsman Academy in the first place, he must be capable," Summer pointed out. Herman seemed nice enough. Even if he was extremely lazy, she'd come to expect that there was always more to people than what they presented.

She smiled at Herman. "Good to have you with us, Herman. Don't let Heather murder you with extracurricular work, alright? "

Heather flashed a sinister smirk at her partner. In her hands she held a stack a veritable stack of heavy textbooks.

Herman Whitehead grinned nervously. "H-hah…I'll do my best."

* * *

 _Unknown location, Outskirts of Atlas Kingdom_

The plane landed on the cold desert ground. The door opened and a single person walked out. He looked up calmly into the night sky.

He was a young boy, no older than sixteen. He was of rather short stature, with a short mop of black hair, golden eyes, and rectangular eyeglasses. Despite his young age, he had a mischievous smile on his face, the reflection of the pale moon on his eyes giving off a sense of cold, malicious cruelty.

"Oh, what a lovely night!" he laughed, at no one in particular. "It sure feels great to be in Atlas again! The air is as gross and polluted as I remember. Talk about nostalgia."

"You're late, Rok." The voice came from a few feet away. Argent Fox, the blond, middle-aged General of the Atlesian military, walked into view. "You said you'd be here by evening."

"Ari! Good to see you!" The boy, Rok, grinned at the general, saluting mockingly. "As rigid as ever, I see! How's your little girl doing?"

"She's...holding up well, considering the circumstances," Argent replied. "I didn't think you'd be showing up alone. Didn't the headmaster request more men?"

Rok sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Little hiccups, here n' there. Fenrir is still in Vacuo-says the preparations aren't complete. Dr. Merlot, the old fart, I haven't been able to get in touch with him at all. Last I heard of him, he was making those high-tech weapons-the ones used in that riot you guys so conveniently stopped."

Argent smiled wearily. "Hah, that sounds like 'Thousand Minds' Merlot, all right. His genius is a nuisance to friend and foe alike."

"I doubt he HAS friends," Rok snorted.

"Gentlemen." Another voice, this one female, rang out. Harriet Maroon materialized in-between Rok and the general. "I'm glad to see things are getting underway."

"Well, if it isn't our favourite bunny girl," Rok grinned at her. "How was it playing traitor with our friends at Beacon?"

The rabbit Faunus smiled back. "You'd be surprised. They're really quite pleasant people-and of course, that made it all the easier to fool them." She turned to General Fox. "Your daughter is just as impressive as you claimed, general."

"…I'm glad to hear it," Argent said, forcing a smile.

"The Grandmaster was particularly interested in one Team STRQ," Harriet continued. "Taiyang Xiao Long is a decent warrior, nothing particularly noteworthy. Summer Rose has potential, but she still has quite a way to go if she wants to meet my master's expectations." She turned to Rok. "And then there are the Branwen twins-Qrow and Raven."

"Oh, so THEY'RE involved in this, huh?" Rok smirked. "This just got a lot more interesting."

"The boy is rather unimpressive, but the girl is certainly the strongest of the group. I have to give her credit-having my secret exposed was not part of my plan."

"That sounds like Rae, alright," Rok agreed. "So, Harrie, did you bring the goods?"

Wordlessly, Harriet took out a spherical black jewel from her pocket. It glowed with a sinister dark sheen. "So this is the Yin…the source of limitless energy," Argent muttered, in wonder, as he took the jewel into his hands. "Your master has my thanks for allowing us to utilize this."

Harriet stared at the general coldly. "I will remind you, General, that I have no love for you or your species-and neither does Grandmaster Salem. To ally yourself with us is to acknowledge that our long-term goals have nothing to do with yours."

"There's no need to remind me," Argent sighed. "I know no apologies will ever justify what people have done to the Faunus over the years. All that matters to me is that I complete the Project."

"Good," Harriet nodded. "Now then, let's be on our way. I'm sure Headmaster Onyx is anxious to see that we've arrived."

"Hey, who died and made YOU the leader?" Rok grumbled.

Argent Fox took the lead. "Follow me," he ordered. "On my authority, you'll be allowed onto the military grounds. If we hurry, no one will see us." He walked off in the direction of the city, Harriet right behind him.

Rok stood there for a few seconds before following them. He turned his gaze to the sky, his face breaking out into a grin that reached from ear to ear.

"Qrow and Raven…" he chuckled. "I think they're going to be quite a lot of fun."

* * *

 **Like Summer's new weapon? I sure enjoyed coming up with it-I couldn't let her just use a boring old bow and arrow the whole story, could I?**

 **I've also finally started giving weapons names. About time, am I right? Now I just need to give names to everyone else's weapons that they for some reason never used before. Also, I figured it would give the weapons more personality than just "her sword" and "the gun".**

 **Also, yes I referenced RWBY Chibi. Hey, that show already milked the katana joke for all it's worth, I have an excuse.**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	27. Class in Session

**Chapter 2: Class in Session**

 _Workout Gym, Beacon Academy_

"Hrahh! Hrahhh!" Raven swung furiously at the training dummy.

"Uhh, sis, you don't need to get so into it," Qrow grumbled, sitting on a nearby bench with a bored expression on his face.

"Quiet, brother." Raven stopped to catch her breath, wiping the sweat from her brow. She glanced at her trusty red katana, Shadow Mobius. Glancing her finger delicately over its edge, she smiled. "Two hundred strikes in a minute, and no scratch. It's a start, I suppose."

Qrow snorted. "You know, you like to act cool, but you're really just pissed that you lost ONE match, aren't you?"

"Out in the wilderness, 'one match' can cost you your life-yours and others," Raven replied coolly. She pressed a button on the keypad. A computerized voice spoke. _Reflex training initiated._

"'Out in the wilderness'?" Qrow muttered. "We're not cavemen, y'know…"

The training dummy was lowered beneath the floor, and about five small cannons came out from the walls. _Training commences in 3…2…1…_ Barrages of energy beams were fired from the cannons. Raven darted left and right, deflecting the beams with Shadow Mobius.

Qrow sat on the bench quietly as he watched his sister train. Spectators normally shouldn't stay in the training area, but Qrow wasn't too worried about getting hurt-this was Raven Branwen, after all-the prodigy of prodigies.

"We have to be prepared for ANYTHING," Raven insisted, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she completed the training. _Reflex training completed with 100% accuracy._ "And if even Summer can match me the way I am now, I'll never have a chance against HIM."

Her brother frowned. "Hope she never finds out you said that."

"That's no concern of mine." Raven gritted her teeth, clenching Shadow Mobius in her hands. "I have to get stronger before it's too late-and you should too, if you know what's good for you, Brother."

"Heh, you don't need to remind me," Qrow grinned as he sharpened his greatsword, Reaper's Gambit. "I wish you'd make up your mind, sis-are Summer and co. our 'friends', or are we just bein' all 'blargh, emotional distance, you're all my pawns'? They can't be both, y'know."

His sister glared at him. The crimson glare in her eyes, and the bright gleam of Shadow Mobius as it glowed with Dust energy…despite himself, Qrow felt a shiver of fear.

"You know, Brother," she hissed. "Every once in a while, I wonder if you're actually taking what we're doing seriously. Do you think this is some sort of joke?" There was so sign of the wise, eternally calm and collected warrior Raven presented herself as.

"Uh, well-"

"Because it ISN'T!" Raven snapped at him. "The two of us, we are the only ones who can do it. We, who know the name of 'Valhalla'. Our mother…and Ragna…have you forgotten about them, Qrow? We need to take this seriously-or else, when we fail, we'll have to live with the knowledge that we had no one to blame but ourse-"

"Um. Hey? Knock-knock?" A boy's voice rang out.

Raven and Qrow froze. Slowly, they turned towards the entrance to the training room. Herman Whitehead stood by the door awkwardly, a sheepish smile on his face. "So, uh, I'm not…interrupting anything, am I?"

Raven narrowed her eyes. "How…how long have you been standing there?"

"Standing here? H-hey, come on guys, I'm not some creepy eavesdropper," Herman laughed nervously. "I figured you might know where the Grimm Studies classroom is? Still don't really know my way round this place…"

"Why there? There aren't any Grimm Studies classes today," Qrow inquired.

Herman grinned sheepishly. "Yeahhh, well…Heather told me she was gonna give me some extra lessons there today before class, at seven. I just woke up now, actually."

"Seven?! It's nine-thirty right now!"

The light-haired boy winced. "What can I say? I overslept!"

Qrow shook his head sadly. "You're fucking dead, bro. Heather's gonna grill your ass to Mistral and back."  
Raven sheathed Shadow Mobius. She sighed, her personality returning to normal. "All right. Come with me, I'll show you the way. Brother, remember we have that field trip this afternoon." She walked up to Herman.

"I don't trust him," she whispered to her brother as she passed by. "I'm certain he heard some of that."

Qrow sighed. "Maybe. Well, at least this one isn't a sociopath in disguise," he joked.

His sister glared at him. "Sorry," Qrow muttered, looking down. "Too soon, I guess."

"That's a generous way to put it," she said coolly, and guided Herman out of the room.

* * *

 _Amethyst Meadows, Mountain Glenn_

"Is everyone here? Splendid!" a chirping female voice reached the whole class through the windy fields. It was a beautiful day-the fresh spring breeze, the scent of flowers blooming, the dew-wet grasses rustling in the end all painted a very serene picture. In the distance, tall sleek buildings protruded from the ground into the sky.

It was the perfect atmosphere for a rigorous training program.

"You guys down to kick some butt?" Regal Swanwing of Team HTHR grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"You bet!" Tai laughed. "I've been training a lot over the break, I could break a thousand Grimm without breaking a sweat right now."

"Attention, lovely students!" the woman called cheerfully, clapping her hands. She was a petite, shapely woman, with a dark blue ponytail tied in a pretty green ribbon. She wore a lime-green qipao which left quite a bit of her long legs exposed. _She's beautiful,_ Summer thought in awe.

Qrow gave a low whistle. "Damn. Who's that chick?'

Heather scowled at him. "That 'chick' is Fie Forrester, Professor of Huntsman Law, and a bona-fide A-rank Huntsman.

"Hey, she's 'A-rank', alright," Herman agreed, ogling Professor Forrester's chest. "She looks, like, as young as Miss Glynda, doesn't she?"

"What are you talking about?" Heather snapped. "She turned thirty-one last mo-"

The professor snapped her fingers, and a glow of Aura quickly immobilized Heather in place. Her eyes widened in surprise, as she struggled to break free.

"That's enough talking, kids!" Professor Forrester chirped. "We've got an awesome day ahead of us, so why don't we get started?"

"Um…okay, Professor," Everyone said nervously. Heather collapsed to the ground, wheezing.

"Please, call me Fie," Fie smiled. "As you know, today we're taking a trip to the beautiful Mountain Glenn district," she explained, as a large van with a green cellular symbol on it pulled up behind her. "It's the kingdom's first attempt at a major expansion, and YOU, Huntsmen and Huntresses, will be the ones to help make it a reality! Isn't it exciting?"

Summer smiled wistfully. "I did see a poster for a resort in the area…" she mused. "That would be nice if I had the money."

Qrow snorted. "What's so exciting? It's just more buildings and smoke. Big deal."

"And while some uncultured people who shall not be named may have no taste in beauty, class or aaanything worthwhile in life," Fie continued, flashing a quick look at Qrow, "I'm sure you're excited to fight some enemies, right? Pow! Pow! For great justice!" She pumped her fist into the air.

Everyone forced a laugh.

"So!" Fie clapped her hands energetically. "Before we get to the trip proper, I've got a VERY special guest for all of you!" The van's door opened, and a short man with greying brown air and a lab coat walked out. "I'm pleased to introduce you all to Doctor Merlot, the head of the Mountain Glenn expansion project!"

All the students clapped. _Merlot…_ Summer thought. _Where have I heard that name before?_

"It is a pleasure to meet you, students," Dr. Merlot smiled. Despite his elderly, frail appearance, there was a bright fire in his eyes that showed his great passion for his work. "It really is a wonderful honour to see children of such potential. Potential is what I seek most in the world, after all. More than Dust-indeed, more than Aura-it is what has kept humanity safe from the Grimm menace since the beginning of time."

A whirring sound could be heard from within the truck. A humanoid, mechanical construct walked out to stand next to Merlot. It stood over six feet tall, with a turquoise gleam glowing from the cracks in its dark blue armor, and a sharp double-edged lance in its hands. Several people gasped.

"What is that?" Torrence Greene asked, awestruck.

"An android…" Raven murmured. "Humanoid robot soldiers. I didn't realize there were already working models. Impressive."

Merlot smiled. "I'm pleased to hear that you've heard of my work. Yes, this is the prototype for the 0343-DRAGOON soldier model-a superintelligent computer capable of analyzing and adapting to any fighting style, making it perfectly suited to subduing human opponents as well as Grimm."

"And…" Summer gulped. "Y-you want us to fight it?"

"But of course!" Doctor Merlot grinned. "You Huntsmen may have potential, but it is up to us to determine whether that potential is worth anything. Why, in a few years, my robots could well run the Huntsman business all on their own, and you'd all be quite obsolete-and you wouldn't like that, would you now?"

Some students started to murmur amongst themselves worriedly. Summer laughed awkwardly. _He's just joking…I think._

Tai bumped his fists together. "A robot'll never beat the power of the human heart!" he declared proudly. "And I'm going to prove it!" He walked up to the Dragoon, ready to fight.

"Ohhhh, I like your enthusiasm, Mr. Xiao Long!" Fie winked at him. "Alright, let the match begin!"

"Hrahhh!" Tai yelled. His tattoos glowed red with Fire Dust. Mercilessly, he charged at the Dragoon and pummeled it with punch after punch. The poor robot let out a distressed whir as it crumbled under the Huntsman's sheer power.

"Heh! No sweat," Tai grinned.

The Dragoon got up. It swung its lance at Tai, who dodged and threw another punch. This time, however, the robot raised its hand to block it. Tai raised his eyebrows in surprise, but before he could react, the Dragoon jabbed him in the stomach with its lance. "Ugh!" he growled. He swung a few more blows, but the Dragoon dodged them effortlessly, and struck him again.

 _It's like night and day,_ Summer thought. The Dragoon had started off getting decimated, but now it had completely turned the tables on Tai. It had adapted to his 'punch-and-pray' fighting style.

The Dragoon swung its lance one more time. Tai, now exhausted, couldn't raise his hands in time to dodge it, and was sent flying into the ground by the impact. Fie blew her whistle. "That's enough! Ouch…that looked like it hurt. Better luck next time, Taiyang!" The Dragoon halted its attack.

"A-agh…" Tai groaned. Merlot shook his head. "Oh my. How disappointing," he sighed. "Would anyone else like to volunteer?"

"I would." Raven raised her hand. She walked up to the Dragoon as Tai limped back to the audience. "Excellent," said Merlot. "Let us go for a second trial then."

The Dragoon activated itself again. Raven unsheathed Shadow Mobius and parried the robot's strikes. Summer noted that unlike Tai, she went for a more defensive stance, dodging, parrying and feinting as the opportunities came.

As with Tai, the robot's skills improved and soon it was meeting her blow for blow. Eventually, the Dragoon managed to land a swift stab to her shoulder. Raven grunted in pain and retaliated with a blast of Dust energy from her sword. The robot collapsed to its knees.

"Well done!" Fie chirped. Raven sheathed the blade, panting.

"Impressive…" Merlot grinned, clapping. "I could tell by the way you fought…you intentionally supressed part of your Aura, didn't you? To prevent the Dragoon from reading your patterns."

"It didn't work that well…but that was the idea," Raven admitted.

Doctor Merlot chuckled. "That was very intelligent of you, girl. Now…any other volunteers?"

Several other students went up to face the Dragoon, but all of them were beaten as the robot slowly began to block and predict their every move. Summer and Qrow both came close to victory, but were ultimately defeated.

Excellent, excellent!" Merlot clapped his hands, laughing. "Now, I'd like to have one more before I leave for work today. Hmmm…" he frowned as he glanced at a student. "Look sharp, won't you, young man? Let us see you fight."

"Blargh?" Herman yelped, waking up. He'd somehow fallen asleep standing up, something Summer found both sad and impressive.

Heather shoved him forward. "Ugh, uh, okay," he sighed. He grabbed his weapon-a large white harpoon with a curved edge. "My trusty Vendetta and I can handle this…I think. Maybe."

The match began, and Herman began stabbing at the Dragoon. His weapon, Vendetta, was surrounded by a glow of ice Dust that froze the robot as it tried to get near him. The Dragoon retaliated with several swings of its lance, but Herman managed to deflect them.

 _He actually is really good,_ Summer realized. In fact, he didn't seem to be struggling at all. Even Raven had had a difficult time as the robot adjusted to her fighting style, but Herman was simply beating on it like it was nothing.

"Aaaand this!" he struck the Dragoon so hard it made a dent in its armour. The robot stopped glowing as it fell to the ground, motionless.

"Ah…" Merlot looked speechless. "Astonishing…I didn't think…hmm, perhaps there's a defect in its system?" He was muttering to himself, and no longer seemed to be paying attention to the students.

"Mmm. Well done. It seems I underestimated your skill, Herman," Heather said approvingly. Herman grinned at her sheepishly.

Summer turned to her team. Qrow was raising his eyebrows in surprise. "The lazy guy's pretty good," he murmured. Tai was nonplussed. Raven looked like she wanted to strangle a small puppy.

"Oh, wonderful!" Fie laughed ecstatically, as Doctor Merlot dragged the deactivated Dragoon back into the van. "What a successful test! Now then kids, let's make our way into the city, shall we? The day's still young, and we have tons more to see!"

* * *

 _Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy_

Ozpin set down his coffee. Leaning back in his chair for a moment, he closed his eyes, quietly reflecting on things long past. Finally, he gave a heavy sigh and pressed a button on his desk. "Bring me Headmaster Thane," he said. After a minute's wait, a holographic screen materialized above the desk.

"…Ozpin." The anxious face of Candor Thane, Headmaster of Shade Academy, appeared on the screen. Formerly a handsome man, age had not been kind to him, as his golden hair was greying at the roots and falling out, and his pale white face was growing gaunt and wrinkled. "I…I suppose you heard about my secrecy."

"Indeed I have," said Ozpin, with a chilling calmness. "Thane, have you forgotten about our agreement? For the sake of all of Remnant, being open with one another is paramount."

'I-I understand." Thane looked around nervously. "The truth, Ozpin, is that during my early days as Headmaster, I became worried at how technologically behind the Kingdom of Vacuo was. In a moment of greed, I struck a small deal with Atlas. They provided me with some, er, unauthorized prototype technology, and in return I was simply asked to loan them a small patch of land for some expansion projects."

"…I see," Ozpin murmured. "I must say I'm impressed you kept something like this secret for so long, Thane. I didn't think you had it in you."

Thane started furiously. "I-I never MEANT to keep it secret! But after the Winter Maiden's…incident, I felt I had no choice! I was already in too much hot water, surely you can understand-"

"I am not accusing you of anything," Professor Ozpin replied quietly. "Though I'm certain you realize how your credibility would've been affected when the previous Winter Maiden was assassinated on YOUR watch. I'm simply reminding you that keeping secrets from us will not do us any favours. Our enemy will latch onto such a weakness and tear us apart."

"…Of course," Thane muttered in shame.

"Still, to think Atlas would…hmmm." Ozpin took a sip of coffee, ideas swirling through his mind. "In hindsight of recent events, it all lines up…"

"It…what now?" Headmaster Thane asked.

Ozpin explained to him that Headmaster Onyx of Atlas was working for Salem, and that the 'Ouroborous Project' was somehow involved.

"That's…unbelievable," Thane murmured, wiping his sweaty brow. "I-I never suspected…"

 _That is because you are a fool._ "The implications of this are enormous, as you might understand," Ozpin said slowly. "I think I can guess who your little 'candidate' is, as well. Fortunately, I have already taken measures to deal with the situation, but I will need your cooperation-yours, and Carnelia's."

"I understand," Thane said hesitantly. "But what the devil DO you have planned, Ozpin? If Onyx plans to…to do THAT…why, he'd reduce the whole continent into a smoldering pile of ash! What can we possibly do to stop him?"

"I have a few ideas," Ozpin replied. "Listen carefully to what I have to say…"

* * *

 **Fie Forrester is based on _f_ aer _ie_ s, who are often associated with the _forest_ (which is also green). Faeries are also characterized as being mischievous and playful (the ones that aren't malicious, anyway), just like Professor Forrester. **

**Candor Thane is gets his first name from the Latin word for "whiteness" and "honesty/openness," and his surname from the old term for a man of high rank who owned land granted to him by the king. Ironically, this guy is actually kind of a shady coward. Makes you wonder why he's even a Headmaster.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**


	28. Mountain Glenn

**Chapter 3: Mountain Glenn**

 _Huntsman Guildhouse, Mountain Glenn_

The guildhouse was brand new, having only been competed less than a month ago. The red brick walls were all laid out in an even, pleasant-looking pattern, the woodplank floor was nice and smooth, and the whole place had the fresh scent of lavender. The large billboards on either side of the main hall were already covered with sheets of different colours, describing various requests for Huntsmen to accomplish for a profit. It was a lot more primitive than the high-tech mission boards at Beacon Academy, but there was something refreshing about it.

 _This place is really nice,_ Summer thought approvingly as she entered. A large assortment of chairs were laid out in the grand room for the lesson that was about to take place. Summer and co. made their way to one of the front rows, chatting about their training as they sat down.

"That Doc Merlot was one crazy guy," Tai muttered angrily, almost falling down into his seat. "I didn't think his stupid Dragoo-whatever would be that tough."

"He did warn, you though!" Regal pointed out. The albino was playing with one of his combat knives, throwing them into the air and catching them, sharp-end up, with one finger. "Punch like a madman, and anyone with a brain'll school you easily. Raven beat the thing because she was more careful."

"Ugh…please don't lecture me. You're just rubbing it in, aren't you?"

Raven slammed Shadow Mobius' sheath into the floor, almost denting the clean wood planks. "I BARELY won. If I have to go all out just to defeat one measly robot, how am I supposed to succeed as a Huntress?" she mumbled angrily.

"You'll have to step it up, Rae," Tai suggested jokingly. "Summer's catching up to you pre-tty quickly from what I've heard. Now, don't get me wrong-having TWO strong and very beautiful ladies on Team Taiyang is totally amazing, bu-"

"I went easy on her!" Raven snapped, raising her voice, causing Tai to lean back in his chair, arms raised in mock surrender. "It was because I wasn't used to her new weapon, and she'd learned to master it faster than I expected!"

"She's gonna hold that over you for the next three years, trust me," Qrow whispered to her from the chair beside her. "Just thought I'd warn you. Might want to stay 'way from her at the lunch table from now on."

"I'll keep that in mind," Summer whispered back, smiling sheepishly. _Raven's probably right though-it WAS just a fluke._ If Raven Branwen had really tried with all her skill, Summer highly doubted she would have won their duel.

"Herman did the best out of all of us, surprisingly," Torrence noted.

"Yes." Heather glanced at her partner, who was staring aimlessly at the ceiling, legs sprawled out. "Some special training you never told us about?" she asked, smiling.

"Uhh, not really?" Herman replied uncertainly. He scratched his ash blond hair, letting out a loud yawn. He twirled Vendetta around his hand nonchalantly. "Hrmm…I mean, I did go last out of everyone, so…uh…maybe the robot might've been worn out by then, and wasn't at full power…? I guess."

"Yes. That must be it." Raven agreed almost immediately after the words were out of the young man's mouth.

Fie walked up to the microphone that had been prepared for her in front of the audience. "Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?" she asked, poking the speaker, sending out a deafening screech that caused several students to yelp in pain.

"Oh! Sorry, kids. Didn't mean to scare you like that." The professor grinned mischievously. "Noooow then, I know you're all excited to explore 'round this beautiful city, so I'll make this lesson brief, alright?

"Right, so you all know that you'll become proper, official Huntsmen once you graduate. What some of you might not know is there's a Huntsman Ranking System. Sure, Huntsmen are meant to act as independent, unaffiliated forces, but it helps to…er, keep track of them in some way."

Summer fidgeted in her seat, trying to pay attention. This was all fairly new to her. Beside her, Qrow was already nodding off.

"Huntsmen are each assigned a rank from A to F, with A being the highest. There's teeeeechnically an A+ rank, but that's reserved for like, international heroes and stuff. All four Headmasters of the Academies are A+ rank, actually. Your rank won't be determined only by your strength though. Huntsmen take care of all sorts of weird jobs other than killing Grimm, so you'll be judged on your sociability, efficiency, how many different jobs you complete, et cetera. And your rank can go down if you're found lacking in any of these areas. The exact process of how the Association decides your rank is kinda iffy, but you get the idea."

"So do we all start out at E-rank when we graduate?" Tai inquired, listening intently.

"Ehh, not quite. You're not official Huntsmen, but all students at the academies are given an arbitrary rank of E-the second lowest. Depending on your academic performances, and how many missions you complete during your time here, you'll be assigned your proper rank on your graduation day."

"Wait, E-rank?" Regal raised his hand, looking confused. "If total newbies are in the second-lowest rank, who's in F-rank?"

"Normally, E would actually be the lowest you could go. F-rank's reserved for, ummm…special cases. Like, Huntsmen who've committed crimes, or people who for some reason or another are unable to take any work, ever. Since the Huntsmen Association is built on free will, we're not actually allowed to take away their Huntsman licences if they don't willingly resign. It's not really comfy to talk about, yeah, but the fact is a convicted killer could still, officially, be recognized as a Huntsman."

 _That's definitely creepy to think about._ Summer shuddered. The concept of Huntsmen certainly wasn't as sunshine-and-rainbows heroic as one would think. Randomly, she remembered something Raven had once told her. _"Good people-even Huntsmen-can do cruel things."_

"Buuuut, on that note, I think I've wasted enough of your precious time. Just remember all of this when you go on your special excursion later this year," Fie grinned, clapping her hands together energetically. "Curfew starts at…uh, let's say ten o'clock. We'll all converge at the hotel then, 'kay? Alright kids, ciao!"

On that note, most of the students got out of their seats and made a beeline for the front entrance, practically shoving each other down as they rushed out, while yelling things like "I want to check out the new shopping centre!" and "Hey, hey, you think there are any cool nightclubs around here?"

Heather's team joined them. "We'll be at the blacksmith's to fix up our weapons. See you all later!" Heather smiled as they left. "I just wanna get to the nice, comfy hotel…" Herman complained as she dragged him out of the room.

"So, what do you guys want to do?" Tai asked, stretching as he stood up. "I'm in the mood for some snacks, hear there are some nice restaurants nearby."

Qrow sighed. "I don't really care, honestly. Wherever we're goin', I'm game."

"Same with me," Summer agreed. Going anywhere in the district would be a nice experience, so it didn't matter much to her where they started. Ultimately, the four of them decided to just wander around for a while.

Mountain Glenn was something Summer could only really describe as 'comforting'. It had a refreshing warm atmosphere to it, what with the cleanly paved roads, large modern houses and buildings, and of course the great mountain itself, stretching far into the blue sky in the distance. A single building stood taller than the rest. It looked far more high-tech than the others, and a familiar logo was carved out of neon-green lights, on a sign above the top floor.

 _Merlot Industries, right?_ Summer thought. She'd thought the doctor's name had sounded familiar. She'd heard Merlot Industries was responsible for much of the technological advancements in Atlas, which was certainly impressive considering they were also operating out of a small district in Vale. But then Summer remembered the incident last year. _They-or at least part of the company-also worked on Grimm experimentation…_ She did her best not to think much about it. Putting Merlot Industries firmly in the back of her mind, Summer focused on enjoying the rest of her day.

The district was small, but there were plenty of places to visit-shops, blacksmiths who forged weapons Summer was certain were impossible to wield with two hands, arcades that Qrow and Tai insisted on blowing all their money on in order to win a new game console (they did not), and bars which made Summer absentmindedly reflect on the fact that she'd be of legal drinking age in a few months. It all made for a pleasant afternoon.

It was evening when Team STRQ exited their last stop before dinner, a small gift shop. As Summer walked out, a strange figure bumped into her, knocking her new Grimm doll out of her hands. "Sorry miss," he muttered in a deep voice. He was covered head to toe in thick winter clothes, which Summer found odd. The man walked off down the road at a brisk pace.

As Summer reached down to pick up the doll, Qrow said: "Wait. Summer, check your pockets."

"Huh?" Summer reached into her white cloak, and her heart sank. Sure enough, her wallet was missing. "Oh, not again…" she muttered in frustration. "Hey you! Get back here! Give her back her wallet!" Tai yelled at the strange man, who picked up his pace and quickly vanished into the ground. "Damn it!"

"I'll go after him!" Qrow growled. In a flash, he activated his Semblance, and transformed into a small black bird. Cawing angrily, he flew in the robber's direction. Summer, Tai and Raven followed after him. "Brother, wait!" Raven snarled through gritted teeth.

When they caught up to Qrow, he was standing in the outskirts of the city, with no citizens in sight. Most of the buildings in the area were either small, in construction, or run-down. The boy was back in human form, glancing around in frustration. "Shit. I can't have lost him…he had to have come this way!"

"Wait, isn't that him right there?" Tai asked, confused. They all looked in the direction he was pointing in. Sure enough, the heavily dressed man from before was climbing down a manhole not too far away. "The fuck?" Qrow spluttered, eyes bulging. "I swear he wasn't there a second ago!"

"Whatever! Let's just get my wallet back!" said Summer angrily as the thief disappeared into the sewers. The four of them ran over to the manhole. "Ugh. The sewers?" Tai wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That's a really crappy place to hide, if you ask me."

"Literally, in some cases," Qrow agreed. "C'mon. Before he gets outta our sight again." The four of them dropped down the hole, one by one. For a brief second, all was darkness as they fell, before they landed in a dimly lit underground area.

Summer was the last to hit the ground. She glanced around herself in confusion, taking in the surroundings. "What…?" she gasped.

This was no sewer. That was for sure. It was some sort of…laboratory. They'd landed in a large circular room, with strange mechanisms mounted near the walls, glowing with green energy and emitting a sinister whirr. Large black crates embroidered with the Merlot Industries symbol were stacked willy-nilly throughout the room. There was no sign of the strange man. "I knew it," Raven spoke all of a sudden. "This is a-"

Before she could finish, at steel door slammed shut, covering the hole in the ceiling that they'd fallen from. They were closed in. "…trap," she muttered.

Without warning, all of the crates swung open, and Grimm came dashing out. Instinctively, Summer and her team prepared for battle, killing several of them before they'd even moved a metre. Splitting her bow into two, Summer swiftly decapitated a Beowulf with Phoenix Heart's blades. Beside her, Tai slammed his fist into an Ursa's face, crushing its head in with a loud _crunch._ "That's the last of them," he announced.

The team all breathed sighs of relief as the Grimms' bodies began to fade. Suddenly, a voice broke the silence. "Hmm-hmmm, nicely done. I expected no less from such stellar subjects as yourselves." The man from before appeared before them, still covered in heavy garments that blocked out his physical features. Summer yelped as everyone took a step back. "Where'd he appear from?" Qrow asked, shocked.

"No…he was there the whole time, wasn't he?" Raven muttered, pointing Shadow Mobius at her enemy.

"Very perceptive!" The man laughed. "It's an invisibility device of sorts that can disguise one's presence-even Grimm can be trained to utilize it, with time. It's quite different from that teleportation technique your friend the rabbit has."

That got their attention. Summer tightened her grip on Phoenix Heart. "So you know Harriet…" she hissed, even as fear ran through her body. "Are you working with her? Who are you, anyway?"

"You're asking the wrong questions, dear." The man flung off his jacket. Summer gasped.

The 'man' was made of pure stainless steel, with muscular humanoid arms and legs, a sleek physique, and glowing green armor. The voice continued to flow from its speech projector: "As I'm sure you've figured out, I've summoned you all here for a little…ah, let's call it an experiment. You've already so generously aided me earlier today, so one more shouldn't hurt, eh?"

"I don't remember ever helping…whatever you are," Tai grumbled, making a battle pose. "Well, you don't even have a weapon, and you don't seem that strong. I can take you easily."

"Well now, let's agree to disagree," The robot cackled. In its hands, a large, translucent Dust cannon materialized. It fired a large energy ball that struck Taiyang in the chest, knocking him to the floor. He grunted in pain.

"What the hell?" snarled Qrow. "Where'd the gun come from?"

"Merlot Industries' holographic weapon generators…and you mentioned us 'helping' you…" Raven hissed, raising her sword in a defensive stance. "Can I guess that the one controlling this machine is you, Doctor Merlot?"

The robot's voice changed, becoming that of a familiar old man. "Indeed you can, Miss Branwen," Merlot said jovially. "I've been hard at work all afternoon applying the results of my most recent experiment. Thanks to the data I obtained from your fighting styles, I've finally been able to complete the first specimen of the Dragoon model's beta upgrade, the 0311-DRAKION. Let's see what this little monster can do, shall we?"

Qrow ran at the Drakion with Reaper's Gambit, but the robot dodged the swing and projected a pair of hunting daggers, allowing it to outmanoeuver the larger, slower blade. Summer fired several arrows at the robot, but it simply changed its projection to a large shield, blocking them. When Tai attempted to approach the Drakion, it kept him at bay with rounds from a machine gun.

 _We need to overwhelm it,_ Summer decided. It couldn't adapt to all of their different weapons and tactics at once. Tai and Qrow had a similar idea, as they were ganging up on the Drakion, attacking from different sides. "Heeey now, that's hardly fair," Merlot's voice growled, as the robot projected a simple two-handed sword. It was still holding off both its opponents fairly well, but it was clearly having more difficulty.

"This is for embarrassing me a couple hours ago! Though, uh, technically it was a different robot!" Tai grunted as he landed a solid punch on the Drakion's metal face.

Summer turned to Raven, holding up her bow and making a circular motion with her other hand. The dark-haired Huntress seemed to get the signal, and nodded.

"Eat this!" Summer yelled as loud as she could, firing an explosive arrow in the Drakion's direction. "Silly girl," Merlot's voice grunted, as his robot swatted aside Tai and Qrow with a single swing. It held out its shield to block the impact.

Raven swung Shadow Mobius, creating a black-red portal in front of the Drakion. The arrow disappeared into it. "Hrmmm?" Merlot murmured in confusion. "What in-"

From behind him, the bomb arrow flew out of another portal, detonating on the robot's exposed backside. The Drakion stumbled, and before it could recover, all four Huntsmen were beating it down with all their might. Finally, Qrow plunged Reaper's Gambit straight into the Drakion's chest. Sparks flew from its broken wires.

"Bah…" Merlot's voice sighed. "It seems I have to take a few more trials before I can truly complete the data. Oh well. A loss is a loss, I suppose."

Summer lowed her bow. She had plenty of questions for the old doctor running around in her mind. "Alright, doctor," she began. "You mentioned Harriet a moment ago, but how do you know her? And why did you lure us into this trap?"

"Oh my. You are a curious one, aren't you? I admire that trait in students. However, my lips are sealed, I'm afraid. And the fact that you four have seen one of my laboratories is somewhat unfortunate as well…for me. So I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline this little Q & A session. Farewell!" There was a brief bout of static, and his voice disappeared.

Immediately, the lab began to rumble and shake. "He's rigged the room to explode!" Raven yelled. She swung Shadow Mobius, creating a large portal. "We need to get out, now!"

The four of them ran through the vortex, panicking and trying not to shove, finding them back above ground. A muffled explosion came from below, causing the ground to shake, causing some of the nearby old houses to collapse. A wave of smoke rose out of the manhole behind them.

"Well…" Tai panted, hands on his knees. "That sure was something." He spat onto his palms. "Ugh…I knew there was something shady about that Merlot guy. I wonder how he's related to Harriet…?"

"He was keepin' Grimm in those crates. That shouldn't be possible-Grimm die in captivity…" Qrow muttered.

"We need to tell someone about what just happened," Summer suggested anxiously.

Raven scowled. "I don't know if anyone at Beacon would believe us. Besides, that lab is likely completely destroyed, which means we have no evidence."

"We have to try," Summer insisted. "Maybe Professor Forrester could-"

Something fell from the sky onto her head. "Ow," she muttered as she picked up the object. It was her wallet, the reason they'd fallen into this trap.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Qrow asked incredulously.

Summer glanced at the stupid thing she'd nearly gotten killed trying to retrieve. She felt a sudden rush of irritation. "Another little mystery, but I can let it slide for now," she grumbled. "Come on, it's getting late. Let's get to the hotel."

* * *

 _Merlot Industries Building, Mountain Glenn_

It was midnight, and the majority of citizens in the quiet district of Mountain Glenn were sleeping in their beds. The night was lit up by Dust-powered lightposts scattered across the streets, and the bright, modern neon lights of Merlot Industries' building towering above it all. On the balcony of the top floor, Doctor Merlot stood, observing the city with a large smile on his face.

"Alas, despite the riveting events of today, I still can't find any satisfaction," he sighed to himself. "Oh, the tragedy of being a man of science. And I still have robots to rebuild, and specimens to experiment on…indeed, it seems I've got a long way to go before I achieve my heart's content."

"God, you're such a stereotype," a boy's voice came from behind. Merlot turned around, and saw a short, scowling young man with sleek black hair. The light of the moon reflected off his glasses, giving off a sinister glint.

"You certainly took your time showing up," Merlot smiled.

"That's my line, you old shit," grumbled Rok. "I have no idea where the hell you've been for months and all of a sudden, boom! You're back in Vale and messing around with the local students for some stupid god-knows-what project of yours. Y'know, for a guy who's supposed to be one of the great scientific geniuses of our time, you sure can be an unreliable ass when you want to be."

"Come now, Rok. You of all people can understand the value of scientific discovery. Why else would you agree to aid dear Onyx's little scheme? Surely for the same reasons as I, no?"

Rok snorted. "Okay, ignoring the fact that you even bothered to compare the two of us in ANY capacity, I'd like it if you didn't make any, uh, 'implications' about my motives. And now that you're finally back in action, I'm afraid you're gonna have a lot of work on your hands soon."

"Work is what we live for, boy. It is the fuel that sustains the fires of our lives and passions," said Merlot. "Speaking of which…I have heard. The artifact…is it true that we have obtained it?"

"Sure have," Rok grinned. "The Black Yin…one of the jewels of life and death and everything in between, or some shit like that. Its ability to draw out endless amounts of Aura…gotta admit, it's some useful stuff. It used to be in the hands of some no-good terrorists, believe it or not. But now it's in the hands of…well, even-worse terrorists, so I'd say it's high time we put it to good use."

Merlot chuckled. "How very fascinating. So they DO exist after all. And if all goes to plan, their true nature will become apparent very soon…and then, I can finally witness the potential of humanity unfold before my very eyes. Hmm-hmmm…I do so look forward to it!"

Rok said nothing. He was glancing over the balcony, eyes squinted in scrutiny as he looked around Mountain Glenn. Everything was deathly quiet-but in total silence, the simplest of disturbances can raise suspicion. Something-or someone-had caught his eye. "Hmmm, a fly on the wall, huh..." he muttered under his breath. "Or maybe…a shadow?"

"Hmm? What did you say?" Dr. Merlot asked absentmindedly.

Suddenly, Rok's body stiffened. His face broke out into an enormous grin, and his eyes glowed with a predatory gleam. "THERE you are," he hissed. He held out his arm, and a large, pitch-black scythe nearly twice his size materialized out of nothingness into his hand. Rok swung it with all his might, generating a powerful blast of wind that blew downward towards the city. The blast struck a nearby building, cutting clean through its steel supports and sending it crumbling to the ground in large fragments.

"W-what was that?!" spluttered Dr. Merlot, nearly falling over the balcony in shock.

Rok took a deep breath, then shrugged his shoulders. "Thought I sensed something. Someone spying on something they shouldn't be hearing. Or maybe it was a squirrel." He grinned at the wreckage he'd just made. "Ah well, whatever it was, they're probably dead now."

Merlot scowled. "Hrmm…do as you like, Rok, but I'd prefer if you did not cause any…permanent damage. Mountain Glenn is far more useful to my research when intact."

Rok just laughed. "Well, don't you worry about that, old man. Harriet and the others still have quite a bit in mind for this little cesspool. Now if you'll excuse me…" The boy raised his scythe, and a soup of black smog surrounded him. When they cleared, Rok was gone. "…Insufferable little child," Merlot muttered to himself angrily, and went inside.

* * *

From within the wrecked building, a single figure crawled out of the rubble. "Son of a bitch…" he muttered to himself. He certainly hadn't expected to be discovered like that. He'd thought hiding behind a window would be enough during the night, but clearly he'd been wrong. _It's been a while since I've come so close to death, hasn't it…?_

He looked through the scope on his weapon again. The balcony of Merlot Industries' building was clear. The two figures who'd been there before were nowhere to be found. "Dammit," he grumbled. _Well, no use crying over spilled milk, I guess._ He pressed a switch, and the sniper rifle retracted back into its base form-a harpoon.

"Almost got killed for a stupid scouting mission," Herman Whitehead sighed bitterly. "Of course THIS is the kind of job he'd dump on me…"

He glanced at the rubble. Choosing a currently unoccupied condo to hide out in was the right call, it seemed. He shuddered to wonder what would have happened if it had been an occupied building that had been destroyed. The idea of civilian casualties certainly wouldn't deter his enemies.

"What monsters…" Herman muttered. "Just what are these people planning…?"

* * *

 **Note: This story will be going on a bit of a hiatus after this chapter. I kinda want to shift my focus to other things at the moment, but don't worry, I'll get back to writing Stark eventually.**


	29. The Meeting

**A/N: So...that was a long hiatus, huh? Well, I'm finally back with another chapter! I'm not going to be sticking to any particular schedule this time, and I'll just be uploading whenever I have something I'm satisfied with. With Volume 4 ongoing at the time of this upload, some of the headcanons that I'd been implementing into this fic have been slightly...challenged, and my plans for Qrow and Raven's backstory will have to change just a bit. Thankfully, the changes will be pretty minor, and my overall story is still mostly the same as it was before.**

 **This is also the first chapter I'll be uploading while a volume is still airing, so I'm not sure how that'll affect traffic on my fic. Only time will tell.**

 **Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: The Meeting**

 _Mountain Glenn_

"...And you're sure you're not trying to pull my leg?" Fie Forrester asked.

Summer stared at the professor in desperation. The four Huntsmen had found her browsing the HCA Toy Store, packed to the brim with every 'cute' thing imaginable-from bouncy balls modeled after a pink kitten's face, little keychains depicting chibified versions of famous Huntsmen, and even adorable fluffy Grimm plushies that were significantly cuddlier than the creatures that tried to kill you. The sickeningly sweet scent of perfume was producing a very stuffy atmosphere in the shop that made Summer quite uncomfortable.

"It really happened, I swear!" said Tai earnestly. "That guy from earlier today-Doctor Merlot! He seriously tried to kill us! Said we were some kind of 'experiment', or something!"

The professor just shook her head, smiling. Both her hands were occupied with heavily-filled shopping bags that read "HCA" in big bubbly letters. "It's not even summer and the heat's already getting to your heads," she chuckled. " Merlot, one of Beacon Academy's own alumni, try to harm a student? You must really have an imagination!"

"Professor-" Raven started, but wisely closed her mouth. It seemed she'd accepted from the start that this was a lost cause. Not many people would believe four students claiming they'd just fought a robot controlled by a renowned scientist in an exploding underground lab. It sounded like the plot to a terrible spy movie.

"Wait, Merlot?" Summer frowned. Fie's offhand comment had caught her attention. "He was from Beacon?"

"He sure was!" Fie nodded. "He was before my time, of course, but I hear he was one of the smartest people to ever attend the school! Funny enough, even though he never had an interest in teaching, they say that more than half of the Grimm Studies course is based on the research he did while he was still a student! Bet the teachers hated him for it! Still, it's impressive, huh? Now if only I could…."

She looked like she was going to ramble on and on. Anything Summer would've liked to say was now lost in despair. It was clear they were going to accomplish nothing this way. "Come on guys," she sighed. "Let's get back, or else we'll be late."

Nodding dejectedly, Raven, Tai and Qrow followed her out of the building, leaving the professor to happily continue her shopping spree.

Somehow, night had fallen by the time they made it back to their hotel. Greeted by an irritated-looking tour guide, likely fresh off an afternoon of putting up with obnoxious tourists, Team STRQ was quickly informed that it was almost past curfew and that they had better head back to their dormitory, with the helpful tip that if they were caught sneaking out they'd "have hell to pay, goddammit". Mercifully, the man was not so unkind as to leave four strapping young Huntsmen to starve to death on a cold night, so he begrudgingly let them grab a quick supper at the cafeteria before shooing them upstairs to their room.

The moment they were inside, Tai leapt for his large, warm bed, landing facefirst in the soft silk sheets before remaining motionless. "Ahhhhh….now that's more like it," he mumbled, the events of the day all but forgotten.

"Well, I guess it could've been worse-she could've had us locked up for being crazy," said Qrow bitterly.

"We did good out there, though!" yelled Tai, having rolled over on his back with a grin. His short blond hair was in quite a mess, slightly covering his bright blue eyes. "Especially you, Summer! That new weapon of yours is putting in some serious work-with moves like that, I might just fall for you, y'know?"

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Summer gave a slight laugh. "Um...thanks, I guess." Turning her head, she noticed Raven staring at her with a look of annoyance in her eyes. "...What?" she asked after an awkward silence.

"Nothing," the dark-haired warrior replied, a bit too quickly. "It is curious that he mentioned Harriet though. I wonder how he knows her?"

At the mention of that name, the atmosphere in the room underwent a noticeable change. Tai stopped doing sit-ups on his bed. Summer glanced at the floor, her gaze sullen. She wondered where the rabbit Faunus was right now, and what unfathomable forces their false friend could be conspiring with….

"Isn't that the million dollar question," Qrow muttered, flashing a glare at his sister. "We're obviously not gonna do anything else tonight, so why don't we hit the sack, huh?" Without a word, everyone nodded, and that was that.

It was sometime close to midnight when Summer woke up, yawning. Freeing herself from the warm embrace of her blankets for just a moment, she glanced around groggily at the darkened room. Just like back home at Beacon, she'd gotten the top of the bunk bed, which had initially scared her for reasons she could no longer comprehend.

It was a dim light out of the corner of her eye that caught her attention. Peering in that direction, she noted that it was Raven at her desk, poring over some notes. _Oh, Rae...studious as ever, huh…._ She thought, smiling. Preparing to retreat back into the world of dreams, Summer noticed the book she was reading. From above, it was hard to make out exactly what was written, but judging from the images, depicting bizarre-looking Grimm and artifacts that she'd never seen before, it definitely wasn't any of their textbooks.

Then it hit her. She'd seen that book before. It was when they'd been on the plane to Pandora Village last year-Raven had been reading it. According to her, it had been a record written by her great-grandfather, filled with knowledge from the beginning of Remnant's history. The old tome looked as worn-down as ever. Summer leaned in for a closer look.

Raven was writing on a page depicting what resembled a large, pitch-black whale that encompassed two full pages. From the molten red glow gleaming from appeared to be eyes, it was clear that it was supposed to be a Grimm. As Summer watched, she hastily drew a circle around a smaller image at the bottom of the page, in which two identical orbs were shown glowing with black and white energy respectively. _I wonder what she's doing?_

Summer considered calling out to her friend. But then Raven tilted her head ever-so-slightly, giving her a brief glimpse of her face. Something about the deep intensity she saw in the Huntress' red eyes made her hesitate. For one extremely silly moment she felt as though she were looking at an enemy. Of course, the moment passed quickly, but Summer had lost her resolve-and had gotten her drowsiness back. Before she knew what she was doing, her head was back against her pillow, and she was pulling her sheets back onto herself.

Before slipping into unconsciousness, she had the vague realization that Tai's snoring, emanating from the other side of the room, was rather cute.

* * *

 _Beacon Academy-Headmaster's Office_

Ozpin sat quietly in his seat. The last of the Beacon staff had left for home, and all the classrooms had been boarded up for the night. Perhaps there was one or two unfortunate first-years who remained trapped in the cafeteria after sneaking in after hours, or a few starving rats weaving in and out of cracks in the wall, but otherwise all was silent in the grand monument that was Beacon.

Normally at this time of night, the old headmaster would be calmly sipping a mug of hot coffee, as was his custom on these cold nights. He might even be reviewing tapes of his students' performances, to judge which of them rose higher than the rest. Which ones were the most...worthy. But tonight was different. And sadly, that meant the coffee would have to wait.

Reaching for his cane, Ozpin quietly murmured a short set of words. The top of the old stick split open, revealing a small crystal underneath. A transparent object that glowed with an ominous light, and would seem to the naked eye as if it were constantly changing shape. It pulsated with a steady rhythm, reminiscent of a heartbeat. Wordlessly, Ozpin touched the tip of the mysterious object.

Immediately, the clean, pristine scenery of his office faded away. Where Ozpin stood now was what appeared to be an endless abyss, with dark blue smog surrounding everything around a small area of space, where four grand pillars stood atop the corners of a pure white plane of marble. The ominous heartbeat could still be heard, even here. It was not the most welcoming place to hold a monthly meeting, but it was one of few places in the world that guaranteed complete privacy.

As Ozpin took his place atop a pillar, he remarked to himself that he was the last one there.

"You took your time, Ozzy," said Headmaster Onyx, standing on the pillar to his right. "I was starting to believe you wouldn't come at all." He turned to Thane on the opposite corner. "At this rate, I'm afraid you'll be overthrown for title of most incompetent headmaster, my friend."

Headmaster Thane said nothing, but flashed a worried glance at Ozpin, who merely smiled. "Is it not right for a teacher to watch over his own students?" he asked coolly. "They are, after all, our greatest responsibility in these trying times."

"'Responsibility' is something that seems to be sorely lacking in people these days," the fourth figure remarked in a haughty voice. Throwing back her long amber hair, the woman continued: "Not that our enemies are any better in that regard, of course."

Onyx chuckled. "Ah, Carnelia. Always a source of optimism, eh?"

Carnelia Stein, headmaster of Haven Academy, didn't humour his remark, not even with a simple look of disdain. Her regal scarlet sash, immaculate black cloak and piercing grey eyes made her a truly imposing figure. She was respected almost unanimously among citizens of Mistral, ending decades of long-held prejudices and traditions by becoming Haven's first female headmaster through sheer determination. Even in this peculiar meeting, the three older men were well aware of her talents.

"Let's begin with the most pressing issue," said Ozpin. "Has there been any update on the Winter Maiden?"

"All of our searches have ended in failure," replied Carnelia decisively. Her scornful face glanced around her, as if daring anyone to chastise her. "Why must we continue with this wild goose chase? At this rate she is likely in Salem's grasp already."

Thane shook his head anxiously. "It's true that it's been three years since the previous Maiden….passed, but while we haven't found any clue as to who it might be, there's been no intel implying our enemy knows any more than we do."

"Nevertheless, it is paramount that we find her," Ozpin insisted. "There must always be Four Maidens. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter….only together will we have any semblance of hope. The Winter Maiden's successor _is_ out there. And deeming this search as impossible will achieve nothing."

His words brought the others to silence. For a minute, all them said nothing, as if lost in thought. Onyx was the first to break the silence.

"Well, the Maidens are certainly a problem, but what about more short-term issues, hmm?" he asked, tugging at his beard softly. "Ever since the riots last year during the tournament, Atlas has been seeing a disturbing increase in crimes-many of them by Faunus." The old man clenched his teeth in frustration. "Those degenerates have gotten bolder, it seems. We may have locked up Buck London, but it seems like he got what he wanted!"

"That sounds like your problem, not ours, Desmond," said a disinterested-looking Carnelia.

Thane nodded in nervous agreement. "That's right! A couple petty criminals are hardly worthy of _our_ attention!" he spat.

"Oh? Then let us change to subject to something that concerns _you_ ," replied Onyx with a predatory smile. "My candidate, Latte Adel, and his team are currently stationed in Vacuo for their assessment, to investigate an increase in activity by the Brotherhood of Gehenna. From the intel they've managed to collect,it seems that the Brotherhood are using special weaponry designated specifically for Shade Academy's use. Please, Thane, do explain yourself, hmm?"

Thane had gone pale. "I don't know what you're talking about…" he said angrily. "They must have stolen them...th-though I'm certain I would have known if anything had been lost…" Looking at his face, Ozpin was inclined to believe him-the bewilderment in his eyes seemed genuine. Then again, it was difficult to tell with Thane…

"I suppose it's no surprise, honestly," Onyx continued smugly. "Your reign as Headmaster has been plagued from beginning to end with the most scandalous accusations. Violating the acceptance policies, conspiring with the black market...of course, not that you'd be the only one with such things on your conscience!" he added, glancing at both Ozpin and Carnelia in turn. "To you, aiding a terrorist cult must simply be the next logical step!"

Thane was left speechless. He remained motionless where he stood, his mouth open yet saying nothing. Mercifully, it was at this point that Carnelia changed the subject.

"Your candidate...Latte Adel?" she murmured. "I suppose that's an adequate choice. That would make me the only one without a candidate...since it seems you've also made your decision, Thane."

"Yes," The Shade Academy headmaster admitted. "I wanted to keep it secret at first, but that's over with now. She's...the daughter of a well-known scientist in Vacuo. She and her father have been helping out old Professor Polendina in Atlas, with some revolutionary Aura-related experiments. Their collaboration was meant to be hidden…"

Carnelia nodded. "I can see why," she mused. "Atlas sharing such priceless resources and technology with other Kingdoms-and Vacuo of all places! Not something anyone would want to go public."

"So you see!" Thane cried. "I've acted perfectly rational with all these matters and still I'm being accused of criminal activity? It's unheard of! And might I add," he said, his tone becoming more vicious, "that none of you should have any right to speak of such things! What of our 'candidate' system? Deliberately granting career advantages and knowledge- _forbidden_ knowledge, banned by the Council themselves!-to students we seem to choose at the drop of a hat? Even a weak little _girl_ who, or so I hear, could barely graduate from a third-rate combat school run by peasants!" His anger had shifted to Ozpin now.

Ozpin felt a tinge of irritation at his fellow headmaster's immaturity, but he chose not to let it show. "You know as well as I do that this is different," he said slowly. "There are things beyond the Council's jurisdiction...and those matters are what concern _us_. What I do-what _we_ do-is for the good of the Kingdoms. For Remnant."

"Yes...for Remnant," echoed Carnelia.

After that, the atmosphere of the meeting became calm once again, though it had come dangerously close to going out of control. This was happening more and more recently, a fact that had Ozpin rather worried. But he chose to let things slide this time.

One by one, the headmasters gave brief updates on what was happening in their schools. Atlas was initiating a new military training course despite repeated warnings from the Council. Haven's student count was at an all-time high. Shade Academy was considering higher wages for its lower-class faculty.

Finally, the meeting was done. It occurred to Ozpin that he was almost relieved that it was over. "Until next time," he bowed to his fellow headmasters. "Make no mistake, troubled times are coming. Salem may not have made her move yet-"

"But she will," said Onyx ominously.

"She will," Ozpin repeated in agreement. "And when she does, Desmond, I think I can trust you to be the first to know." Before waiting for a reply, he pressed his cane to the pillar, causing the meeting room to dissipate. He was now back in his office, as though he'd never left.

He was smiling. He wondered if he had gotten under old Onyx's skin with that last remark. He trusted that Carnelia had already figured it out. And of course, while Onyx conspired with Salem and other malevolent forces, Ozpin was setting his own plans in motion….

As he reminisced over the night's events, he reached over to the coffee mug on his desk, and was pleased to find that it was still hot.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: The Mission**_


	30. The Mission

**Chapter 5: The Mission**

 _Solito Plains, Vacuo_

The scorching sun shone over the pale, yellow grasslands, crying out for hydration after weeks of heat with nary a drop of rain. A hot wind blew through the fields, rustling the weary leaves of the few trees still standing in the area. With such inhospitable conditions, unfit for most human settlements, the appearance of mankind's natural predator, the Grimm, was a rare sight indeed. But the lawless and primitive Kingdom of Vacuo was the perfect place for rare things to happen.

The Beowolf walked briskly through the plains, its feet making loud _crunch_ noises as they stepped over the grass beneath them. Its brethren walked alongside it, all their savage minds focused on one goal, some distance ahead of them. Though its belly could feel no hunger, its mouth salivated at the thought the prey that awaited it. Suddenly, the creature's ears perked up. Something had caught its attention. Growling, the Beowolf attempted to call to its brethren in warning.

A piercing _bang_ shot through the air, bursting the creature's head like a bubble. With muddy black ooze leaking from its neck, the Beowulf crumpled to the ground as its body disintegrated. The other Grimm paused momentarily to search for the source of the noise, but soon turned and resumed their ominous march.

From atop her perch in the nearby tree, Marguerite Scarlet looked through the scope of her sniper rifle to confirm the kill.

"So how is it, Marge?" Her leader asked, his voice resonating through her earpiece.

"Not looking good, Latte," she muttered, taking in her surroundings. _Five Creeps to the right, three more Beowolves dead ahead, and at least one Griffon out somewhere in the sky._ "There's few enough that we can take 'em out, but the worrying thing is...they all seem to be headin' for the village. With all these ugly mugs showing up, something real bad must be happening. Hate to say it, but we could be too late."

"It's never too late till it's over, Marge! And Team LIME is going to teach those bandits a _very_ valuable lesson!" Latte shouted passionately. "Keep a close eye on the area until the place is clear, got it?"

"No problem, boss,"

Several kilometres away, Latte Adel stretched out his arms and yawned, wincing as the sharp blades of grass cut into his tanned skin. Kneeling down, he turned to his two other teammates. "On my mark, we'll make our move," he whispered. "Esther, make us a nice thunderstorm-just try not to kill Marge while you're at it."

"Alright!" Esther jumped up eagerly. The young mage put her hands together, activating one of her Forsaken artes. Immediately, a thick soup of dark clouds began moving over the sunlit horizon, and Latte could feel the temperature drop. "I just need to concentrate for a minute," she muttered.

Latte nodded approvingly. "Okay Isa," he said, turning back to his partner. "Provide cover for Esther while I make a mad dash for the village. Use that Arctic Arm of yours and show those Grimm what a real hero is worth!"

Isa Teal stared at him disapprovingly. Her ice-blue eyes bore into him with their usual stern coolness. There was just a tinge of concern in there, however, that made it more difficult to mistake the stoic young Huntress for a robot. "You?" she asked quietly. "Please don't tell me you're going to do this alone."

"Haha, relax. It's me, remember!" Smiling, Latte patted her on the head reassuringly. The two of them had gotten rather close during their years together at Atlas Academy, and hearing Isa show genuine worry for him was something he found rather sweet. "Don't worry, this'll be no problem for us."

"...If you say so," Isa responded, sounding ever-so-slightly happy.

The stormclouds had covered the whole sky now. Thunder rumbled across the terrain as the first few droplets of rain fell upon the thirsting land. "Alright Marge," said Latte into his Scroll. "Shoot up a flare when you see an opportunity!" Putting the Scroll back into the pocket, he loaded a fresh round of shotgun pellets into his Pyroburst Cannon. Just as he finished, the bright red spark flew across the sky with a _whoosh._

"Showtime!" Latte yelled, leaping out from the grass, running at full speed in the direction of his destination. Sneaking a glance behind him, he saw that Isa was methodically clearing out nearby Grimm with concentrated ice beams, while Esther summoned lightning bolts to fry any that got too close.

A few Ursas up ahead had noticed his presence. Turning around, they were greeted by the sight of Latte revving up Pyroburst Cannon's flamethrower, sending a wave of fire in their direction. While Grimm had been observed to being immune from burning, they still feared fire like all rational creatures. Hissing in disgust, they fled from Latte as he ran toward them. Firing an explosive shell from his weapon, the projectile burst into a fiery spectacle as it impacted the ground, disintegrating the Grimm. Latte had no time to pause, as a large Nevermore swooped down at him from seemingly nowhere. Pressing a switch on Pyroburst Cannon, a set of sharp blades protruded from the edges of the weapon, and he swung it as the avian Grimm approached him, mouth wide open.

"Hiya!" With a single powerful stroke, he split the bird's jaw open, sending it flying back into the air while screaming in agony. Flailing its wings around in distress, it was unable to react in time to avoid the powerful lightning bolt that struck it and turned it into ash. Latte pushed himself to run even faster. More Grimm lunged at him as he ran past, and the few that got too close for comfort were blasted into oblivion.

As he approached his destination, Latte reflected again on their current assignment. The Vacuo Security Branch (or the closest the Kingdom had to one) had received a distress call from Aggro Village, one of Vacuo's largest independent settlements, and the only colony in the hostile environment of the Solito Desert. The call was cut off, but it seemed they were being under attack by a group of bandits. While there wasn't anything suggesting that these bandits were connected to the Brotherhood, Team LIME certainly weren't going to just abandon some people in need.

Latte noticed a plume of smoke rising from somewhere in the distance. His heart sank. _Oh no,_ he thought, fearing the worst. As he got closer, he saw the village-or rather, what was left of it. Buildings were smashed up, debris was strewn everywhere, and thick black smog poured out from the centre of the colony. It looked like he'd been too late after all. But maybe he could still save whatever survivors were left.

A figure emerged from the wreckage, slowly walking towards Latte. From the foreign symbol on his chest, and the bloodied helmet he wore on his head, it was clear that he was a bandit. On guard, Latte raised Pyroburst Cannon and yelled at him: "Stop right there! If you attack I'll have to take you in by force!"

The bandit continued to approach him, as if he hadn't heard. Gradually, Latte began to take note of his awkward, stumbling gait, and his ghostly-pale complexion. As the man opened his mouth, a small stream of blood trickled down his chin. "What happened here?" Latte asked cautiously. "Who...did this to you?"

"A...m-m-m…" the bandit gasped, his mouth trembling with the effort. "A mons….ter…." He collapsed to the ground, revealing the gruesome stab wound in his back. Within seconds, a group of flies were hovering around the sweet, mangled flesh, eager for a bite. Latte didn't even need to check to know he was dead.

Feeling significantly more concerned now, Latte continued onward, clutching his weapon tightly. The rest of Aggro Village was no better off than the little preview he had gotten. It seemed like every single structure had been wrecked beyond repair. Bloodied corpses of civilians and soldiers were scattered all over the ground, side-by-side with those of the bandits that had killed them. The occasional Grimm could also be found, lying motionless as their bodies faded into nothingness. At some point, Latte gave up on searching for survivors.

Suddenly, he heard a sound from somewhere nearby. While Latte couldn't quite make out the whole thing, it was unmistakably someone's voice. "...did good...Headmaster….happy with..." Quietly, he made his way toward the direction of the voice, keeping close to the walls.

He soon found himself in what had been the central square of the village. The pieces of a beautiful marble fountain were scattered among bits of charred bricks and cement. A large smoldering crater stood as the centerpiece of it all, as if the village had been struck by a meteor. Amidst it all, observing the grotesque scenery, was an unfamiliar figure.

It was a girl, with bright pink hair tied up in a long ponytail, and wearing what appeared to be a mix between a lab coat and an aristocratic suit. Approaching her from the back. Latte saw that she was holding something in her left hand, and was speaking out loud in a casual voice:

"Nothing we could've done, I guess. Still, I'd say that was a successful test, wouldn't you? C'mon, we should go. Storm and Moss are gonna be worried sick if-"

"Hey," Latte greeted her abruptly. "Who are you?"

"Geh-!?" The girl turned around in a panic. In her hand, she clutched a small baby eagle-a very rare animal in Vacuo territory. Looking more closely, Latte could see that it was actually made of metal, and its head's movements were awkwardly stiff.

 _An artificial construct, huh?_ "Look, sorry if I alarmed you," Latte said, dropping his weapon. He raised his arms in the air, and gave the mystery girl an amicable look. "But mind telling me what you're doing here?"

"None of your business," she said immediately, turning up her nose as if disgusted by him. "Who do you think you are, anyway? Sneaking up on me like that?"

Latte felt a tinge of annoyance. "Name's Latte Adel. I'm a Huntsman-in-training from Atlas," he explained. "My team and I were sent to Vacuo for an assessment, and this morning we heard about a distress signal coming from this village. So we came as fast as we could…"

The girl just looked up in the air, a look of boredom on her face. The robot bird in her hand let out a metallic chirp. "Well, you sure weren't fast enough," she said snobbishly.

Latte was starting to lose patience with her. "Look, I've told you who I am," he said as calmly as he could. "I think it's common courtesy for two people to be on equal terms when they talk. Wouldn't you agree, Miss….?"

"...Psycha."

"Well, Psycha, what's a young woman like yourself doing here? You're not going to tell me you caused all this, are you?"

The girl laughed, glancing at him with newfound intrigue. "I might have contributed just a bit," she said with a smirk. "I did get here before you though, so I might know a bit more about what happened here."

"Really?" Latte asked hurriedly. "Well, what'd you find out?"

Psycha visibly paused for several seconds before answering, as if trying to torment him. "Well, I got here on my own," she began. "It was just me and Bubble-" she lifted up the bird in her hand, who chirped happily at the sudden movement, "-and by the time we got here the place was already screwed. Bodies everywhere. Some bandits were still alive, so naturally I asked them what happened. And they told me a pretty interesting story. Apparently they were being driven back by the villagers until someone showed up and started slaughtering them! They thought reinforcements had arrived-but then they started killing the bandits, too! "

"Did they say who?" Latte inquired. _The Brotherhood, maybe?_

"...Sort of. One guy said it was just two perps-one man and one Grimm. But some of the others corrected him! _They_ swore it was just one guy-who transformed into a Grimm and back and just wiped out their whole squad! Crazy, huh?"

"That's ridiculous," said Latte without hesitation. He wondered if Psycha was pulling his leg-the idea of Grimm shapeshifters was a concept found only in the wildest of fairy tales. "And what exactly happened to them?"

Psycha gestured vaguely towards the giant crater behind her. "You'll find them somewhere in there. They won't be in any mood to talk, though," she added smugly. Shocked, Latte opened his mouth to respond, but she continued. "Hey, you said your name was Latte Adel, right? And you're from Atlas? I think I know you-you're the leader of Team LIME, right? The academy's little celebrities."

 _Chirp,_ chimed Bubble.

Latte was taken aback. "Yeah, that's right," he replied. "Gotta admit, I didn't realize we were _this_ well known."

"Well that's just great," Pyscha smiled. "Because _I_ just happen to be Shade Academy's star pupil. Remember this, Adel, because Team PLSM is the strongest in all of Remnant, and at next year's tournament you're going to see it for yourself!" From her pocket, she drew a small blue orb, and flung it straight at Latte. The device exploded into a cloud of tear gas that left him blinded and coughing. A loud mechanical buzz rang through his ears as he desperately tried to regain his bearings. When he finally opened his eyes and looked around, Psycha was gone.

"Latte!" Isa, Marguerite and Esther were running toward him as he stumbled to his feet. "Are you alright?" Esther asked anxiously.

"Yeah...mostly…" he muttered. Once the nausea faded from his body, Latte briefly explained to his teammates what had (allegedly) happened to the village.

Marguerite shook her head. " That's bullshit...one person did all this?"

"It's not unprecedented," Esther pointed out. "Something similar happened back during the Faunus War. One soldier went rogue and wiped out an entire village by himself."

"But that was a peaceful village," Marguerite reminded her . " They couldn't defend themselves-and it happened while everyone was asleep! This was in broad daylight, and Aggro's been strong enough to fend for themselves for years! They practically had their own military!"

Isa seemed lost in thought. "Team PLSM? Strange...I don't think I've heard of them," she murmured to herself.

Latte just sat on the ruined cement, a bit overwhelmed. It wasn't just that the mission had been a total failure. From his encounter with Psycha, and what she'd said to him, he had a feeling that there was much more to all this than it seemed. He stood up abruptly.

"Call the headmaster," he told Isa.

* * *

 _Brotherhood of Gehenna, Temporary Base_

It was around dusk when Rok arrived at the encampment. The place was wonderfully barbaric, filled with crudely built idols of Grimm, and hundreds of people wearing all sorts of bizarre garments wandering around spewing vulgarities and gorging themselves on freshly-cooked meat. There was also the occasional "accident" where some man had been a bit too eager to play with his spear, or was just roaring drunk, and someone else had paid a heavy price.

It would've been entertaining had it not been so tasteless. Rok ignored the bizarre spectacle all around him, as his real objective lay directly ahead of him in a large tent. _Maybe he'll be in a good mood today,_ he thought to himself.

The two men guarding the tent were dressed differently from the others. Both wore white-and-red mask carved out of bone, and had donned black leather vests with scarlet highlights. "Out of my way," Rok told them bluntly. The man on the right stared at him for a second. "The young master isn't here right now, I'm afraid," he said. "If you have business, come back-"

Rok told him his name. Normally he would have simply snapped the man's neck, but right now he was in a bit of a hurry. Hastily, the two guards moved to the sides, and Rok walked in.

There were only two things in the large tent. One was an enormous suit of black armour, forged out of the rarest and most expensive jewels and Dust crystals in Remnant. It shone like the darkest obsidian, with gleaming red glints that looked like it could be blood, or streams of molten lava. The other was the suit's owner, a mountain of a man with dark hair and a rigid, sturdy body that made him look more like a wolf than a human. As Rok entered, the giant looked up at him with his blue-gray eyes.

"Hey Fenrir," said Rok, smiling.

The giant did not return the greeting. "You are not welcome here," he growled in an inhumanly low voice. "You should have never come back after you left."

Rok ignored him. "Have you gotten more...compassionate since I last saw you?" he asked, glancing behind him. "Were it up to me, I'd have left those Brotherhood morons to die ages ago. Since when does the guy they call the 'Dreadnaught' show mercy?"

"I am not you," replied Fenrir. "And they have their uses to us. Those fools should thank the gods for their stroke of luck."

"Personally, I'd wait to see how long that luck lasts for them," said Rok ominously. "And what about people like those do-gooders from Aggro Village? Are you so hard up even they're allowed into your little posse?"

"Some of them were strong," Fenrir shrugged. "They could not have expected what happened. The village fought honourably, but they lost. I saw to that personally."

Rok chuckled. "So you did. Well, I'm sure they'll be sooo pleased that they're working for savages like you. I mean, it's better than living in some boring town your whole life...but that's beside the point. I'm just a messenger today, telling you that the first phase of the plan is almost complete."

"Ah, of course. Mountain Glenn...in Vale, was it not?" Fenrir asked with some curiosity.

"Yep. The rest has been left in old Merlot's hands. I'm kinda skeptical, yeah, but Lady Salem seems to trust him. Now theoretically, I've got no reason to be there as far as the plan's concerned, but…."

There was a heavy pause. Fenrir stood up, his blue eyes flashing blood-red for a split second.

"You found them," he snarled. "They're there, aren't they?"

"Bingo!" Rok grinned gleefully, clapping his hands together in mock congratulation. "Qrow and Raven...oh, it's been so long, I don't know if they'll even recognize me! And as for you...you _really_ want to meet them, don't you? Hmmm?"

"Of...course I do." Fenrir sat down again, closing his eyes. "Father will be relieved to hear they are still alive," he murmured.

Suddenly, Rok's smile faded. He leaned forward until he was right in Fenrir's face. His boyish face was curled up in a scornful, spiteful sneer, and beneath his glasses his eyes were filled with contempt. "You shouldn't be saying that, you know," he said softly. His tone had completely changed. "You know full well who your real father is."

"Luka Branwen is a traitor!" Fenrir growled. His demeanor had changed too. His stoicism had been replaced by a blind, violent rage. His eyes turned molten red again, as scarlet veins began to develop across his face. His teeth seemed to grow, sharpening into large fangs. "He spat in the face of everything our clan stood for, destroyed our home, and would have seen us all wiped out! That.. _person_...is no father of mine," he snarled. "But _I_ remained loyal to my family, Ragna, while you continue to blindly obey his heresy, like a mindless sheep following a false shepherd!"

Another long pause followed, as the two boys stared each other down with intense glares. Finally, Rok leaned back, his expression returning to normal. "That's not my name right now," he said coolly. "I'm just Rok, a humble messenger, here to spread good news to all who need it. And that includes you...brother."

"Just...leave." Fenrir let out a heavy sigh. The veins had disappeared from his face, and his eyes were their usual blue again. "I shall remain in Vacuo for a while longer...until I have fulfilled my duty. I assume you will return to Vale now...to see the two of them?"

"Yes...and no." Rok held out his hand to the side, and a portal of black smog materialized in front of it. "See, family matters can wait. Right now….there's one other person I'd like to see." Before Fenrir could reply, he stood up, walked into the darkness ahead of him, and was gone.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Fateful Encounter**_

* * *

 **A/N: PLSM is spoken as "plasma". No, it's not a Pokemon reference.**

 **Hope you don't mind a chapter focusing entirely on OCs. Next few chapters will be 99% Summer and co. and will have plenty of action, so don't worry.**

 **Merry late Christmas!**


	31. Fateful Encounter

**Chapter 6: Fateful Encounter**

 _Mountain Glenn_

The last day of their field trip had arrived. The moment the sun had risen over the bright landscape of Mountain Glenn, Team STRQ, HTHR, and all the other second-years were out of the hotel, intending to make every last bit of the day count.

"So, what should our first stop be?" shouted Tai over the crowd, peering sideways at his map. "There's a video game store over on the fifth block if you're interested, Birdy."

"I can get my games anywhere I want! What's important are the bars and clubs you can't find anywhere else in Vale! That's what I want to see!" responded Qrow.

"L-let's not get ahead of ourselves, please…" said Summer, recalling her last unpleasant experience in a nightclub. "Look, there's lots of interesting places around town, and…" Her voice was lost in the sound of the two boys bickering. "Perhaps we should let them calm down first," Raven suggested, and Summer agreed.

A conversation from nearby caught her attention. "Hello, General. No one told me you'd be here today," said Professor Forrester to a man in a military uniform, near the streetside. Summer recognized him as Argent Fox, head of the Atlesian military and Heather's father, whom she and Qrow had met last year. "What's someone as important as you doing this far away from Atlas?"

"I merely wished to see how well Mountain Glenn is doing," the general replied with a smile. "Atlas contributed quite significantly to the approval of this project, so it's only natural we show our support from time to time."

"Well isn't that kind of you? You've got some good timing though-why don't you say hi to the kids? I bet they'll be eager to meet General Fox himself!"

"Kids?" Argent turned his gaze to the students in front of the hotel, only just noticing their presence. "Ah...I see…" His face contorted into a concerned frown. "I-I wasn't aware that there was any expedition this time of year, Miss Forrester."

"Well, you know me," said the professor cheerfully. "I wanted to do the trip early this semester, so I managed to get Oz to give me a last-minute approval. Wasn't that nice of him?"

"Yes...I suppose it was," Argent muttered.

"He actually mentioned you might be in town, and that it'd nice for you to see your kid-and hey, I think that's her coming right now." Sure enough, Heather had broken away from her teammates, and was running straight towards General Argent. "Father!" she exclaimed happily, giving him a warm embrace. "It's really good to see you! How's Sister doing?"

Argent smiled, and patted his daughter on the back. "Hello, Heather. Aurora is doing just fine., though she's as busy as ever. It will still be a while before she comes home." Heather sighed in response. "I know, Father.." she murmured. "I wish she would send a letter at least...I haven't seen her in years!" Watching from where she stood, Summer felt a warm feeling running through her. The two of them really seemed like a perfect family. She herself couldn't even remember much about her parents or the time she'd spent with them.

She felt a tugging at her cape. "Hey. Earth to Summer," Qrow grumbled, dragging her back over to the team, where Tai was speaking. "Well, how about we all split up? Let's try to cover the whole city by lunchtime. What do you guys think?"

"I see no problem with that," agreed Raven. "Dividing ourselves up would allow us to cover the most ground. We can set a rendezvous point for when we are finished."

"Why do you have to make it sound like we're preparing for war?" asked Qrow.

"I guess it's settled then," said Summer, relieved that it hadn't devolved into an argument. "Just try not to get lost, everyone...and please don't go wandering into places you shouldn't be, Qrow," she added sternly. "Alright, alright," Qrow gave an exasperated shrug, glancing at Summer and his sister in turn. "Can't believe there's two of you now," he joked.

After a brief chat with Team HTHR, who were planning to visit the local Dustball arena despite Herman's complaints of it being "too physically active" for his liking, Summer and her team split up to explore the city of Mountain Glenn. Doing her best not to get lost, she eagerly made her way toward the city's museum. She wondered what fascinating artifacts of Remnant would be on display there-her curiosity was being piqued just thinking about it. If she tried explaining her fascination to the team, Qrow would probably laugh at her and ask, albeit without any malice, how she could have any interest in such boring old junk. Raven, she imagined, would be more approving. And Tai would smile at her and go off, cheerful as always, about how much he liked going to the museum, too…

Lost in thought, Summer made her way to the entrance, checking her pockets every few seconds to make sure her wallet was still there. _Actually, wait-that doesn't work,_ she thought to herself while paying the entry fee, _I'm pretty sure Tai said he finds museums boring, too. One of the only things he and Qrow agree on._ Shaking her head angrily at her stupid imagination, she resolved to enjoy the rest of her morning the best she could.

For a relatively new settlement, Mountain Glenn certainly hadn't spared expenses on the museum. The place was absolutely gorgeous, with its floors crafted out of fine mahogany, walls decorated with a wide diversity of paintings from different eras of Remnant's past, and of course all of the many exhibits. In one room Summer could find the rotting husk of one of the first android models ever built in Vale, and in another ancient caveman drawings believed to have come from the days of mankind's first encounters with the Grimm. It truly felt to Summer that she was taking a tour through history.

After about two hours of exploring every inch of the place, she found herself glancing over some old fossils on the museum's top floor. According to the exhibit they belonged to some long-extinct avian species, that had likely died out around the time bird Grimm like Nevermores and Griffons began dominating the skies. As she glanced over the display, someone bumped into her. "Sorry, sorry," he muttered as he continued to walk past.

Instinctively, Summer reached for her pocket. Thankfully, her wallet was still there. "It's alright," she said lightly, turning to glance at him. _Wait, is that…?_ She frowned. From behind, the young man reminded her strangely of… "Qrow? Is that you?" she asked in surprise, walking over to him. "What are you doing in a place like th-"

The young man turned around, and Summer panicked, because this person was definitely not Qrow. His lean face was indeed built similarly, but some things clearly gave away the difference. Firstly, this boy wore glasses, and underneath them his eyes were golden, not red. Also, after a quick glance, Summer could tell he was at least a year younger than her partner. The difference was rather obvious, in hindsight. "Oh. Sorry," she stammered in embarrassment, backing away. "I-I thought you were someone else."

"It's alright." The boy flashed her a peculiar grin. "You're just who I was looking for, so it works out."

The next thing Summer knew, there was a blinding pain somewhere on her face, and she was falling backward onto the floor, staggered. There were screams from the visitors around her as she struggled to sit up. Shocked, she put her hand to her stinging nose, where the boy's punch had made contact. "Wha-what was that for?" she gasped.

"Ahaha! You should have seen the look on your face!" The boy laughed, leaping back a step. Grinning excitedly at the crowd that was now staring at him in shock and disgust, he held out his hand. A black, smog-like void materialized out of thin air, and the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

Summer got to her feet, drawing her bow slowly. "Who...are you?" she asked warily, glancing at him. Her battle instincts were starting to kick in-this person was clearly someone dangerous. "Look, I don't want to have to fight…"

"Just call me Rok," replied the boy, retrieving an enormous black scythe from the void. As the people around him screamed in terror, he swung the menacing weapon, which was now glowing with a bright purple gleam, with a grand flourish. "And please, I'd like it you didn't lie to me." Smirking, he leapt...but not at Summer.

"Huh?" For a moment, she was confused. She'd been preparing to avoid the incoming strike, but after a split second, she realized who his real target was. "No!" she yelled, running at him as he leapt towards the crowd of civilians. _Clang!_ There was the sound of blades clashing as she made it just in time to block her enemy from killing an old woman. "Get out of here! All of you!" she yelled back at the people behind her. Desperately, all of them began to clear out of the room.

"Wow...you really are a little hero, aren't you?" Rok asked her scornfully. His scythe's glow changed to a darker shade of violet. Summer felt the weight on Phoenix Heart's blades increase; it was taking all her strength to not collapse. "Well, whatever. Like I said, you're the one I wanted anyway."

Summer leapt away as Rok's scythe slammed into the floor, generating a large shockwave in the ground. She swung her right blade at him, but he turned with surprising speed and blocked her strike. "Why?!" she yelled angrily. "And if that's the case, why would you just try to kill those other people?"

Rok just laughed. "C'mon, is a guy not allowed to have some fun in his life?" he chuckled. He swung his scythe again, forcing Summer to roll out of his way. His swing sent out a strong wind that shattered some exhibits that were in the line of fire. "Speaking of which, try not to die too fast, okay?" He held the weapon over his head as it glowed light purple again.

Gritting her teeth, Summer ducked behind a nearby pillar. She desperately loaded some ice Dust arrows into Phoenix Heart's bow forme as an explosion rang out over her head. Coughing as some debris fell over into her hair, she looked up, over what was left of her cover. Rok had his scythe planted on the ground, blade facing her. It had split at the edges, forming a thin cannon that was now freshly smoking. Summer ran as he fired a crescent purple beam from the weapon, impacting the wall behind her and shattering glass.

 _Here's my chance._ Grumbling under his breath, Rok scrambled to cool his now overheated weapon. Summer pulled her bow back and fired an arrow at the motionless scythe, encasing the enormous blade in ice.

"Ah, dammit," Rok muttered as he tried to pull it out of its frozen prison. While he was distracted, Summer charged at him with her blades, going for a quick stab. He leapt onto the handle of his scythe, dodging the strike, before retaliating with a drop kick. Summer quickly blocked the hit as her opponent launched into a flurry of swift blows. She parried them as best as she could before going back onto the offensive, slicing at him repeatedly in an attempt to overwhelm him.

Rok caught her blades with his hands, and for a few seconds the two of them stood there at a standstill. "Are you another one of Harriet's goons?" Summer asked him, teeth clenched.

"...'Goons'?" The boy stared at her dispassionately. "You sure have a high opinion of that little bitch, don't you?" With lightning-fast reflexes, Rok elbowed her in the face, causing her to lose her balance. Falling to her floor again, she looked up to see him holding his scythe over her head. _Huh?_ Panicked, she looked at where it had been a moment ago, but there was nothing but a clump of ice. "How did you-"

Her words were cut off by the impact of Rok's scythe slamming right into her chest. Summer let out a scream of pain as the sheer force of the strike sent her crashing through the sturdy wooden floors. There were yells of confusion around her as she fell from the ceiling of the museum's third level, onto the floor. Security personnel were hurriedly guiding people to the staircase-it seemed they'd heard about the crazy guy with the scythe on the top floor.

Summer pulled herself back up and staggered away from her landing spot, clutching her chest in pain. "Sorry," she muttered instinctively as people bumped into her while running past. She wandered over to an exhibit containing some Dust artifacts, and glanced over the display. _DO NOT REMOVE FROM EXHIBIT: Fragment of Typhoon Quartz-a prototype of modern wind Dust. Highly volatile._ "Convenient," muttered Summer, feeling rather guilty as she smashed the glass with her sword. Ignoring the blaring sounds of the alarms, she reached in and grabbed the small chunk of pale green metal.

"Hahh!" Rok jumped down from the upper floor, scythe still in hand. Hurriedly, Summer tore off a piece of her cloak and used it to wrap the crystal around an explosive Dust arrow. Silently, she loaded it into her bow.

"You're still standing?" Rok grinned at her. "But I bet I took off plenty of your Aura with that hit, so I should be finishing you off soon." He raised his scythe as its glow changed from light to dark purple again.

In that moment, Summer drew her bow and fired her arrow at his weapon. The explosion's power, increased enormously by the Typhoon Quartz, sent the scythe flying backwards into the ground. Yelping, Rok was dragged along with it, before losing his grip on the weapon and flying straight out of the window. Summer leapt out after him, Phoenix Heart's blades pointed downward.

"Haaaahhhhhhhhhh!" she yelled, falling toward where he lay on the ground. Rok held up his hands to defend himself from the hit, cleanly blocking her blades with his fingers. The blast from the impact sent out a backwash of dust, and when it cleared, Summer saw that her swords had broken the boy's glasses, which lay in pieces across the ground. Her blades were less than a millimetre from Rok's eyes, which were shut tightly.

"Aha...ha…" he laughed weakly. "That's the best you can do?" He opened his eyes, and Summer realized that they had changed to a crimson red. She blinked in surprise...and suddenly she found herself on the ground again.

"Huh…?" She looked around her in confusion. The scenery had completely changed. It was definitely still Mountain Glenn, but the city was in ruins. Buildings were burning down around her, and hordes of Grimm were wandering around, growling. Over in the distance, the city's namesake mountain had been shattered into fragments, and across the sky, what appeared to be an enormous dragon was flying through the air, dropping corrosive black ooze wherever it went. _Wh-where am I?!_ Summer thought, horrified by what she was seeing. _Is this an illusion?_ She reached for Phoenix Heart, but it wasn't there. Looking to her side, she saw the weapon lying broken on the pavement. She then noticed that her arms were bleeding profusely.

Before she could react, she heard a blood-curdling screech from above. It was the dragon, and it was flying straight at her, mouth open. Summer tried to get to her feet, but she felt a great pain in her abdomen, and she collapsed again. She realized that the situation was hopeless, and could only watch in terror as the beast flew at her face, as its hideous jaw prepared to bite into her-

"That's enough, Rok!"

Summer opened her eyes. She was back in Mountain Glenn, and she was no longer bleeding. However, she soon realized her heart was beating so fast she feared it would burst out of her chest. Rok was right there in front of her, staring intently into her eyes with a look of sharp disdain. "Hmm. I might've expected a bit much," he muttered.

Looking behind her, Summer saw the source of the voice that had broken the illusion. It was General Argent Fox, glaring at Rok with wary disgust in his eyes. "I'd advise you to leave at once," he said quietly. "No one gave you any orders to harm the candidate."

"Well, _you_ didn't," the young man sighed, and gave Summer a light push. Summer was still in shock, and nearly fell over yet again from the touch. The boy casually walked away a few steps before holding his hand out, summoning the black smog. "Wait a minute!" Summer called out to him. "Just who _are_ you?! Why did you say you were looking for me?"

Rok didn't answer her question. "Let me tell you something interesting, Lady Summer," he said without looking back at her. "My Semblance isn't about creating illusions or anything fancy like that. Whatever you just saw right now? That was a vision...of a possible future. And from what I can tell, you didn't really like what you saw, did you?"

"Future…?" Summer muttered, shaking a little as she recalled what she'd seen. "I saw...the city in ruins...Grimm everywhere…"

"Wow. That's scary stuff, alright," said Rok. He looked back at her with his usual smirk. "If you saw something like _that..._ it just means you're not strong enough to survive whatever's coming next. Hell, a few more seconds and you would've just died from fear. Personally, I hoped you'd be a bit less pathetic." Bowing, he stepped backwards into the void, scythe in hand.

"Wait... " Summer said again.

"Bye-bye for now!" Rok said mockingly. "Fenrir's gonna be sad that I didn't get to meet Qrow and Raven, but whatever. Speaking of which, and when you see them, tell them that Father sends his regards, won't you?" As he said that, the portal began to envelop him.

As Summer was taking in what had happened, she heard someone else calling her name. To her surprise, it was Raven. "Summer! I-" the young Huntress paused mid sentence, staring at Rok as he vanished. "Ah…" she gasped. "You-you're…"

"Raven? What are you doing here?" Summer asked, as the mysterious boy disappeared completely. Her friend glanced back at her, a strange look in her eyes. Before she could open her mouth, Argent Fox cut in.

"Miss Rose," he said briskly. "You and your friends must leave this place. At once. Please, if you value your safety, gather all the students and teachers and get out of Mountain Glenn as soon as you can." Despite the composure in his voice, the general's face was contorted in fear.

"Our...our bus doesn't come until the afternoon…" said Summer, confused by his insistence.

Argent shook his head. "No, you don't understand. I...just listen. It isn't safe here, and...it would be best if all of you left before...before…"

"Before...what?" Summer asked.

As if in reply, a loud rumble ran through the streets, as if an earthquake was occurring. Immediately afterward, sirens could be heard wailing throughout the city at ear-shattering pitch. "What's happening?" Summer yelled anxiously.

"A breach..." muttered Raven under her breath. "An invasion. The Grimm are coming, aren't they?"

Argent nodded wordlessly, and began walking toward the direction of the noise. "They appeared out of nowhere and started attacking," he said to himself, quietly and methodically. He turned back to Summer and Raven. "I will help defend the city. You all need to evacuate as soon as possible. Please, make sure my daughter makes it out fine." With that, the general ran off.

The moment he was gone, Raven grabbed Summer by the shoulders and glared at her. "Who was that?" she asked, an intense look in her eyes. "Wha-?" Summer gasped.

"The boy! The one who went into the portal! Did he say who he was?"

"Ummm...he said his name was 'Rok'," Summer stammered, unsure why her friend seemed so agitated-it was very unlike Raven. "He seemed to know you and Qrow though...and said that his father sends his regards...or something. C-come to think of it, he kind of looks like Qrow, too..."

"That's…" Raven seemed like she wanted to say something else, but gave up. There was another loud rumble. The sirens were still wailing, and now growls could be heard in the distance.

"We...need to find everyone else," Summer muttered. Raven nodded in agreement, and the two of them ran off towards the rendezvous point.

* * *

 _Merlot Industries, Main Building_

Within the confines of his laboratory, surrounded by his bizarre, wonderful machines, Dr. Merlot gleefully observed the fruits of his work. All around him, black bubbling ooze was running through mechanical tubes to designated spots all around Mountain Glenn. On the display ahead of him, he saw the ooze harden, morph, and grow into hideous black creatures-the Grimm. Hordes of Beowolves, Ursas, and Deathstalkers were being birthed by the second. Growling, all of them began to run towards the city.

"Magnificent," Merlot whispered in awe. "Even with just a fraction of the Yin's power...how fascinating! So this is what the relics are capable of!"

In the corner, a large Beowolf was strung up in a strange device that encased its entire body. It was growling, struggling to end its own life, but was unable to move. "Shhh…" Merlot walked over to the beast, injecting a syringe of strange fluid into its head. "Don't move, my precious. I promise I'll make you perfect," the doctor murmured. "You see there, on the screen? Your brothers are coming to join you...and soon, you'll all be beautiful together!"

A voice rang out from the speaker on the ceiling. "Doctor," said Argent solemnly. "The breach has started. Everything is going according to plan. We'll have the city in lockdown by midnight."

"That is excellent news, General!" replied Merlot, wandering back over to the monitors. He glanced fondly at the footage of the Grimm taking their first steps in this world, overcome by the urge to maim and destroy…

"The time has finally come!" Doctor Merlot laughed. "Now, let the experiment begin!"

* * *

 **Happy New Year's, Everyone!**

 _ **Next Chapter: Collapse**_


	32. Collapse

**Chapter 7: Collapse**

 _Kevin's Emporium, Mountain Glenn_

The rendezvous point had been set at the local emporium, where they'd initially planned to have lunch. Raven stepped out of the portal onto the marble floor, and Summer followed right behind her. The place was filled with people, some students, mostly civilians, taking temporary shelter while the breach was still in effect. Several looked up in surprise at the two people suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Summer looked around the crowd of faces for Qrow and Tai, finally finding them sitting restlessly near the entrance to the food court. "Guys!" She and Raven ran toward their teammates. "Sis? Summer?" Qrow got up as they approached. "You two made it, huh?"

"What even happened?" Tai muttered, looking around anxiously. "One moment everything was normal, and then Grimm started appearing and there were alarms blaring..."

"I'm sure it'll be just fine," said Summer, though she felt uncertain. "Heather and the others are probably safe too, and with General Fox defending the city, the Grimm should be driven off just fine."

Tai wrung his fists together. "I feel like we should do something," he said glumly. "Don't be an idiot," said Qrow bluntly. "They wouldn't raise an alarm unless there was like an army of these things. This ain't something us students can handle."

"We're not first-years anymore! And aren't you the one always trying to get into those shady nightclubs?" Tai retorted.

Raven walked in between the two boys. "Right now what's important is that we are out of danger," she said quietly. She cast a lingering glance at Qrow, before turning to look around at their surroundings. "Hmph. Depending on how bad the situation is, we may have to spend the night here. If that is the case-"

"Students! Is anyone there?" Turning around, Summer saw Professor Forrester running breathlessly towards them, clutching a long, wand-like staff in her hands. "Ah, it's you four," she said, seeing Team STRQ sitting there. "Well, good thing you're safe at least."

"H-how is the situation out there?" Summer asked worriedly.

The professor winced. "Uh...it could be better," she said awkwardly. "There's...well, to put it frankly, a small army of the things. I've never seen so many Grimm in my life...According to Argent, there should be some Atlesian troops heading our way to help soon, but at this rate…"

"So what can we do?" asked Tai.

"Stay put," said Forrester firmly. "We should all stay together in one spot until help arrives. Ozpin's already heard about the situation at Mountain Glenn, and hopefully an airship'll arrive soon. I'll try to get in contact with everyone. 'Til then, you all better stay put. If you want to help, some people were about to build a barricade at the door when I arrived-there's a chance those nasty things will try to break in." With that, the professor wandered off, looking for more of her students.

Qrow took out his Scroll and dialed a number. "Regal. Hey Regal, you there? Have the Grimm eaten you yet?" he yelled into it, but there was no response from the Team HTHR Huntsman. "Well, someone's not picking up...that could mean several things," he said cynically.

"Well, I know what we're doing," said Tai suddenly, getting up. "The four of us are going out there. Now. We'll kick some Grimm ass and save this city, as a team!"

Qrow looked at his teammate in despair. "Seriously, Blondie...you want us to all get killed?"

"There must be people out there who haven't found shelter yet! We need to help them! And besides, this is exactly the kind of situation we Huntsmen train for!"

Wordlessly, Raven unsheathed Shadow Mobius. "The Grimm will not be a match for the four of us," she said, looking at her katana. "I could hardly call myself a Huntress if I couldn't handle something as simple as this." Qrow stared at her speechlessly. "Oh c'mon...not you too, Sis." He turned to Summer. "Ugh...and I bet you're going along with this stupidity as well."

"Well…" Summer said uncertainly. "We _were_ told to stay here and wait to be evacuated, which means the situation is probably worse than what we're expected to deal with." For a moment, she hesitated, but then her hand went steadily to her bow. "But...the whole point of us Huntsmen is to protect the helpless, and to be strong enough to fight any evil. Tai's right. This is the kind of thing we've trained for." She looked at her partner anxiously. "S-sorry, Qrow."

Qrow just sighed, shrugging his shoulders in resignation. "3 on 1, huh? What the hell," he muttered. "Okay, count me in...just don't do anything stupid, please?"

"Alright! Then it's settled!" Tai bumped his fists together energetically. "Let's leave before the professor comes back. Hmm, the doors are being barricaded, so we won't be able to leave that way...Rae! How about one of your portals?" Nodding wordlessly, Raven swung Shadow Mobius, materializing a black-red void in the air. All four members of Team STRQ quickly jumped in.

As she fell out of the portal, Summer was shocked by what she was seeing. The city was being swarmed by an enormous horde of Grimm of all types and sizes. Just outside the emporium was an ocean of black and red as the creatures clawed and bit at the doors. Swallowing her feelings of terror, Summer took aim and fired an explosive arrow at the mob, decimating a large amount of them.

Even as Team STRQ dispatched Grimm after Grimm, they felt themselves being overwhelmed by the sheer number of the beasts. After some point, Summer felt like she was wading through an endless sea of thick, black ooze. "I-I didn't think there'd be this many!" she yelled.

After what felt like forever, they broke through the horde and found themselves in an open area filled with half-built houses and buildings. Summer took a moment to gasp for air, feeling as though her head had been underwater in that sea of Grimm. Looking around, she saw Grimm climbing the walls of buildings, and breaking into windows, while overhead ferocious Griffons dove into the unfinished rooftops.

"There must be people still in those houses!" Tai yelled.

"Be careful guys," Qrow growled, activating the scythe form of Reaper's Gambit. "These things are definitely worse than what we've faced before. Some of 'em look big enough to be Alphas and Majors." Tai just smiled as he activated his Semblance, his body glowing with golden energy. "Maybe. But bigger just means an easier target, right?" Fists burning, he leapt straight into the incoming horde.

"Hahhh!" Summer split Phoenix Heart into its two blades, slicing into the armour of a large Ursa Major that was running at her. The enormous bear growled as it loomed over her, bringing its enormous armour-clad paw down onto Summer. She rolled over to the side, dodging the attack as it made a large dent in the ground where it hit. Spotting an uncovered area in the Grimm's side, Summer thrust her blade in.

Howling, the Ursa Major swung its arm with surprising speed, knocking Summer away. Regaining her balance mid-air, she transformed her weapon back into a bow and aimed an arrow. As her feet landed cleanly on the ground, she fired, and the arrow landed square in the beast's eye. It didn't have time to growl before the incendiary projectile burst, obliterating its head.

"Phew…" Summer sighed. "Look out!" Qrow's voice yelled at her. Turning, Summer saw an enormous Alpha Beowolf, covered almost head to toe in armour, lunging at her. Panicking, she instinctively held her bow up to block the hit.

 _BANG!_ A loud gunshot pierced the air, and the Beowolf fell over onto its side, a bullet lodged in a miniscule chink in its thick armour. Summer looked over to where the shot had come from, a feeling of relief coursing through her. _There's only one person I know who can make such a precise shot._

"Hello, everyone!" Heather was running towards Team STRQ, with Herman, Torrence and Regal following right behind her. Their weapons were at the ready, and they wasted no time in backing up their friends. Regal threw his knives into the skulls of several Creeps, while Torrence cleared out groups of the beasts with his massive axe.

Qrow grinned at Team HTHR's arrival. "Hmph. I should have known you guys would try to play hero, too." "Well, yeah!" Regal replied cheerfully. "You think we'd let chumps like you get all the glory?"

"I will look in the houses for survivors!" Heather declared, cocking her pistols. "Torrence, I need you to cover me."

"I'm on it," Torrence nodded, raising his switch axe as a shield, while Heather ran swiftly into a nearby building.

With renewed strength, Summer fired more arrows into the ever-increasing horde of Grimm. _They just keep coming!_ It was like every time they killed one, two more took its place. Gritting her teeth in determination, she was so focused on her attack that she didn't notice someone coming up behind her.

"H….hey, you're pretty good at this," said Herman Whitehead, yawning as he fired balls of ice Dust from his harpoon. "I, uh, guess you don't have a plan for what we're doing next….?"

"N-not really," Summer admitted.

"Hmm-hm." Herman folded his arms across his chest, staring blankly at nowhere in particular. "Well, you know, it's just...uh...maybe we should find out where exactly these Grimm are coming from? If we can do that, we can save the city...right?"

Summer swatted away an approaching Griffon with her blade. "Sure, but...where could that be? Grimm invasions just...happen from time to time. Even if there's no real negativity in the area. Mindless creatures don't really need a concrete reason to attack."

"I guess that's true, but…there's never been this many. Look, I..." Herman pointed vaguely toward a large building in the distance. Summer recognized it as the Merlot Industries main building. "...I think I saw...something...from over there a minute before the Grimm started showing up."

"...Something?" Summer paused. "And near Merlot Industries? What did you mean by 'something'?"

"I meant it was _something,_ " replied Herman, with an air of being explicit. "Something...weird. And it was near that building. Don't weird things always happen right before some big tragedy? Could be that Merlot Industries has something to do with all this!"

Summer sighed in exasperation as she raised her bow again. Herman was clearly seeing things, as nothing he said made much sense...but his words suddenly reminded her of their encounter with Merlot several days ago.

 _That's right. Doctor Merlot had a secret lab in the city's sewers. He mentioned something about an 'experiment'...and he was keeping Grimm in crates somehow. Could it be?_

"I'll...consider it!" Keeping her insane idea fresh in her mind, Summer ran over to where Raven was cleanly slicing through groups of Grimm. "Raven!" she called out to her friend. "Can you open up a portal for us?"

Raven turned to her in surprise. "But...to where?" she asked.

"Merlot Industries! The main building! Herman said he saw "something weird" around there when the attack began. I think...Doctor Merlot may have something to do with this invasion! Remember, he was somehow able to keep Grimm locked up, a-and he said-"

"I see." Raven cut her off. "Hmm...What you're saying makes sense. I had come to a similar conclusion about the doctor myself. It's not certain, but I suppose it's worth checking out." She called out to Torrence. "You and the rest of your team can handle this area, correct?"

"We're fine!" Torrence grunted in reply.

"Alright." Raven swung Shadow Mobius, summoning a portal. "Tai! Brother! Get over here at once! Both of you!"

Tai looked up from the fading corpse of a Beowolf. "Huh?" he asked. "What are we doing?"

"A detour," Raven replied tersely, and wandered into the portal. Summer quickly walked in after her, as did Tai and Qrow.

As they stepped out, Summer instantly became aware of a disturbing silence. There were no Grimm anywhere near the foundation of the Merlot building. Everything was clean and untouched. "So this is the old doctor's lab?" Qrow muttered. "Hmph, I think I can guess what we're doing. If Merlot's somehow behind the Grimm invasion…"

"...well, it fits with how shady the guy is," agreed Tai, walking straight up to the door, blowing it open with a single punch. "Just to be sure, we should take a look around."

The place was what one could expect from a world-famous scientist. Bizarre-looking equipment lay everywhere, with strange specimens locked up in glass cages filled with green fluid. The design of the walls and floor made the lab look even more futuristic. "Hello? Anyone home?" Tai called out, but there was no response. The building was empty.

"Maybe...I was wrong?" Summer muttered, her instincts taking over as she walked toward a nearby display composed of strange sketches of both humans and Grimm-like creatures. She keaned in to read some hastily scribbled text on one of the sheets. "Ouroboros...Project," she murmured, struggling to decipher the messy writing. " _Permission to use relic for experimentation...denied. The infinity...must be...realized._ Huh…"

The sound of a door opening startled her. She turned around, expected that someone had walked in on them, but it was actually a part of the floor giving way, revealing a hidden passage underneath. Raven was standing next to a keypad near a cage, nodding in satisfaction. "Alright. It seems that's the way to go."

Tai stared at her in shock. "H-how'd you…" Without replying, Raven jumped down the hole and out of sight. "Hey, wait up, Rae!" Tai went down after her.

Summer was just as surprised, but she realized she'd come to just accept that Raven always knew the solution to everything. And besides, right now questions could wait. Sharing a brief look with Qrow, the two of them followed their teammates down the hole.

Landing at the bottom, they found themselves in some strange wide-open area, like some sort of training ground, with large monitors strapped all around the room. And in the centre, Tai and Raven were confronting a man Summer instantly recognized as Doctor Merlot.

"So this IS your doing?" Raven asked him aggressively, pointing her katana at the doctor.

Merlot looked unfazed. "Hmph! You're not supposed to be here, you know," he muttered. "You're going to ruin my lovely experiments!"

"I have no patience for you." Without warning, Raven swung her sword, slicing off the old man's arm. Merlot let out a scream of pain, stumbling backwards, as his right arm fell pathetically to the ground in a puddle of blood. Summer, Tai and Qrow jumped in shock.

"S-sis!" Qrow yelled. "You really didn't need to do that!"

"Mrrrmph...I see," Merlot gasped, backing up until his back was against the wall. Blood seeped out from where his arm had been, and his face was going pale. "Oh, if I had known the lengths you four would go to annoy me..."

Raven glanced at the blood dripping off Shadow Mobius. "Do you not have Aura, doctor?" she asked. "Weren't you a student at Beacon yourself?"

"Aura? I cast away such a meaningless gift years ago," the doctor sneered, clutching his stump. "I cast it away the moment I learned of the higher, TRUE power-an infinite supply of energy worthy of the gods themselves!"

"Do you mean the Grimm?" Summer said. "Are they the real subject of all your research?"

Merlot chuckled. "You might say that. The Grimm themselves are but empty husks and fragments...but such absolute emptiness also means endless potential. And that is what I, a man of higher power, seek - potential, be it for man or some other beast!" He smiled maliciously at the four students. "And now...you shall see it for yourselves!"

The wall against him suddenly flipped around, revealing a secret door that the doctor quickly vanished through. Before anyone could react, An enormous Grimm emerged from the ground. It was King Taijitu, except there were some differences - this one had three heads instead of two, and each head sported dragon-like whiskers and fins. "The hell's this?" Qrow yelled.

"My finest creation," Merlot replied, as his face appeared on all the monitors in the room. "The majesty of a Taijitu, fused with the ferocity of a sea dragon! Now show me how you Huntsmen fare against the might of the Hydra!"

The strange hybrid Grimm roared with all three heads, as each of them began attacking from different angles. They were all very fast, diving in and out of the ground to avoid getting hit. Summer realized that the team was being separated in their attempts to attack the Hydra. "We should-"

"We should all focus on one head at a time!" Raven yelled. "It should be coming…now!" As the beast's grey head burst out of the ground, all of them concentrated their attacks on it, causing it to fall on its side, mouth wide open. Summer fired a bomb arrow into its mouth, obliterating the head.

With two heads left, it was easier to manage the beast. "Tai, Raven, take care of the white one!" Summer instructed. The black head fired a large laser beam from its mouth, but she dodged out of the way. Firing four arrows into its body, she managed to get it disoriented enough for Qrow to run up to it and, with his scythe, decapitate the Hydra's second head.

On the other side of the room, Tai finished off the last head with a fiery punch. "Well, Merlot?" he yelled at the screen. "That good enough for you?"

"I, well...this is unfortunate," he muttered angrily. He'd gotten hold of some bandages, and was messily wrapping up the stump of his arm. "To think my best creation yet would still be defeated...it seems my suspicion was correct-the serum is still imperfect."

"What serum?" asked Qrow. "You put something in that Grimm to make it so messed up? How's that even possible?!"

Doctor Merlot scoffed. "It is not your concern, child. At any rate, your surprise appearance has forced to me abandon my experiment early...but it should be quite alright. I believe I have acquired enough test subjects to continue my work...elsewhere."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I see. So you deliberately lured the Grimm to the city...to gather material for your research. I suppose that was your reason for being in Mountain Glenn from the start."

"Perceptive, aren't you?" replied Merlot. "Sadly, it seems my good work will now require a more...ambivalent setting, with no disturbances. I do hope the queen will accept my resignation letter."

"The queen...you mean the Grandmaster," said Summer quietly.

"Grandmaster? Ah. Salem. Harriet, the fool, always loved calling her that. Well, there's no use worrying about it now. Since I consider my cooperation with her over, I am no longer under orders to spare any of you." Doctor Merlot gave them a mocking bow. "I bid you all adieu." With that, the screens went black...and the room started trembling.

"You're kidding." Qrow was incredulous. " _Another_ exploding lab?"

Raven swung her katana. "Don't panic. We can get back to the shelter in ti…" her eyes widened as her portal did not appear. "What?"

"You didn't...run out of Dust, did you?" Summer's heart sank.

"There's no way our luck is this bad," said Tai desperately.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?!" Qrow yelled. The four of them looked at each other in panic, but none of them could come up with anything. _This could be it,_ Summer thought to herself. The last thing she heard was the earth-shattering sound of the walls around her crumbling, as she was propelled forward from the blast….

When she woke up, for a moment she didn't realize where she was. All around her were strange white symbols, glowing as they rotated around her. It looked like some sort of force field. _Am I...dead?_ Still laying down, she realized she was in the same room as before, but it was ruined, with the walls all in shambles. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her teammates lying unconscious, but seemingly unharmed. Had they been shielded from the blast somehow? "Guys…" she said weakly.

A voice rang out. "That was unbelievably close," someone was saying to themselves. "A second later and they'd be good as dead. At least know we know for sure Merlot was behind this." Summer looked up, and to her shock she realized the mysterious person was…

"H...Herman….?" she muttered. She tried to move her body, but ended up scratching her hand on a sharp stone on the ground. It started to drip blood.

Herman looked down at her, surprised. "Oh crap. You're still awake," he muttered. "Guess the spell wasn't strong enough...it's just not my lucky day." He held out his harpoon and aimed it at Summer. "Sorry about this. It's for your own good."

The moment the weapon's tip touched her forehead, all strength faded from Summer's body. It was if all of her energy were being forcefully drained from her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, as her eyes forcefully closed and everything went blank.

* * *

 _Mountain Glenn, Kingdom of Vale_

Rok stood atop the building, marveling at the scene below. It was hard to believe that a mere week ago the city had been full of life. There was nothing but ruins left, wrecked buildings and roads, the remnant of a broken dream that had amounted to nothing.

Several days had passed since the invasion of Mountain Glenn had begun, and by now it was mostly over. The students who had been visiting from Beacon Academy had held off the invasion as long as they could, but in the end they'd been forced to retreat. And the reinforcements that General Fox had so generously promised never arrived. So in the end, the great city had fallen.

The city's authorities had evacuated as many as they could...but in as large a settlement as this, that didn't mean everyone. Right now, the survivors had been relocated into underground tunnels, planning to take shelter there until the hordes of Grimm still scavenging the ruins had left.

Thousands of them. Thousands of terrified people, gathered into one spot, all waiting...waiting to die.

It really was perfect, Rok had to admit. Salem really did know what she was doing. _Too bad about that idiot Merlot,_ he thought. If he hadn't been forced to flee prematurely, they could've caused even more destruction...and that would've made their goal much easier.

It was time. Rok pulled out a small detonator from his pocket. Still admiring the scenery, he pressed the button.

He never saw the bombs they'd set underground go off. He didn't get to see the thousands of people running in panic as their last defense against the Grimm was broken down, and he wasn't able to witness the massacre that followed. But he knew, without question, that it had worked.

Grinning, he glanced over at the large mountain in the distance - the structure that had given the city its name. A full minute later, he simply sighed. "No dice," he grumbled. "The seal must be way stronger than we thought. Well, nothing to do about it now."

The plan was moving along smoothly. Now Rok just had to ensure that everything else went exactly as his superior envisioned. Not that he needed to try too hard - the one he followed was not likely to made mistakes.

Rok pulled out his Scroll from his pocket. Right now, he had a call to make...

* * *

 **A/N: I'm honestly relieved to finally get this chapter done. I had to drastically change the way certain scenes went SEVERAL times before I came up with something I felt could work. Also, it turned out way longer than I'd expected-some of things that were meant to happen in this chapter ultimately became Chapter 8. So look forward to that.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **Next Chapter: Loose Ends**_


	33. Loose Ends

**Chapter 8: Loose Ends**

 _Beacon Academy, Headmaster's Office_

"I see. So it really was Merlot's doing, wasn't it?"

Headmaster Ozpin paused as the person on the other side of the call responded to his question. He smiled.

"Nothing of the sort. It seems you've greatly overestimated my abilities. It was but a theory of mine...sometimes they are correct." He stopped, waiting for the other person's response.

"That is most unfortunate," Ozpin replied with a frown. "But you did what you could - you did what I asked of you. You performed your task admirably." Another pause.

"I never meant to 'patronize' you," the headmaster said sternly. "At any rate, continue to carry out your duty until further notice. Our enemy's plans are far from over." He hung up.

"It seems you and your friends are hard at work," remarked Headmaster Carnelia Stein on the holographic screen. "I do hope this isn't another instance of you keeping secrets from the rest of us - something you so love to do."

"Certainly not," replied Ozpin. "That being said, I believe you've already pieced together most of the puzzle, as it were."

"Humph. But of course I have." Carnelia leaned back in her chair and indulgently put a large cigar in her mouth. Ozpin waited patiently as she exhaled a cloud of ashy smoke. "So...Onyx has turned against us. Argent too. It would have been unfortunate...if I'd had any positive feelings toward those two. Honestly, it just makes disliking them all the more justified."

"Well, you were right except for one detail," said Ozpin. "Onyx did not 'turn against us'; rather, he was on Salem's side from the start."

"Hmph, well that's even better," muttered Carnelia, twirling her cigar around her fingers. Raised in the explosively artistic culture of Mistral, Haven's headmaster had little respect for the sterile, militaristic stratocracy of Atlas, let alone the men who ran it. "At any rate, I heard about the Mountain Glenn incident. We've suspected for a while that something like this might happen...still, it's unfortunate."

Ozpin nodded gravely. "It certainly is. The lives of all who perished on our hands as much as the enemy's."

"You might say that," replied Carnelia coolly. "But more importantly is that Doctor Merlot instigated the breach. And if he used the Yin - or at the very least, its power - we run the risk of someone making...a discovery that would be unwelcome for all of us."

Ozpin was quiet for a moment. "Indeed," he finally said. "I will persuade the Council to have Mountain Glenn sealed off immediately. And I will have someone clear out all the evidence that Merlot may have left behind. As far as the world knows, he and all of his research were lost in the attack."

"A true tragedy," said Carnelia sarcastically. "Oh, and I have just one more report for you - some of my contacts down in the Mistralian underworld claim that several big-name crime rings have been suddenly shut down over the past few months. Apparently, they've been...assimilated into some larger group."

"That would be...the Brotherhood of Gehenna?"

"Not quite. According to my sources the Brotherhood is just another part of this group. They're a strange melange of all sorts of unsavoury folk," replied Carnelia with a tinge of disgust in her voice. "They've got everyone from crooks to genuine terrorists on their side. They don't have a name, and all I've heard about their leader is that he's a man named 'Fenrir'. You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you Ozpin?"

"I would not," Ozpin admitted. "But thank you for the information, Carnelia. Please ensure your watchful eyes do not fail you now."

"And the same to you," muttered Carnelia Stein. "Be vigilant, won't you? We have enough traitors as it is." With that, she logged off.

* * *

 _Salem's Domain - Unknown Location_

"...And that's..." finished Rok, "...everything that happened in Mountain Glenn. Any questions, m'lady?"

In the desolate, barren landscape of a long-forgotten world, three people had gathered to discuss their plans moving forward. Despite the Grimm crawling freely around the land, passing within inches of them, they felt no fear, for their master had granted them protection.

 _I see._ Salem's voice resounded through a portal that sat ominously in the blood-red sky. _So it seems the seal on the Wyvern remains unbroken._

"That fool...Doctor Merlot," Harriet Maroon hissed. She clenched her first as a ripple of dark energy flowed through it. "To think he would abandon his post like a coward. Because of him, the operation was a failure!"

Rok laughed. "You mean you _didn't_ expect him to run off on us the second he had a chance? Seriously?"

Harriet ignored him. "This betrayal of the Grandmaster's trust is inexcusable," she insisted. "I swear on the name of the Two Brothers that he will be hunted down and executed."

"I find that unlikely," said General Argent Fox, who was sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed solemnly. "The good doctor had evaded our sights for years before he finally decided to make a formal appearance again. You should know well that if anyone can escape your sights, Miss Maroon, it is him."

"I'd advise you watch your tongue, General," said Harriet coldly. "Remember that your authority means nothing in this realm."

 _It is quite alright,_ said Salem calmly. _The doctor has played his part. His research has been invaluable to the furthering of our cause. And I would hardly consider our operation a failure."_

"And why is that, Your Grace?" asked Argent.

 _With Mountain Glenn's fall, Vale will refrain from expanding its territory for a foreseeable future...and that will leave them weaker. What's more, Atlas' failure to provide aid for the city has led to a weakening in trust between the two Kingdoms. Am I wrong, General?_

"...No, you are correct." replied Argent, staring at the ground gloomily. "In the past few days, the Atlesian military has received numerous accusations of incompetence from Vale's council. I've placed Colonel Ironwood in charge of dealing with them."

 _Very good,_ said Salem approvingly. _The colonel is unaware, I presume?_

"That's right. Other than Headmaster Onyx and myself, no one in Atlas is aware of our plans."

 _Excellent. And now, with the fall of Mountain Glenn, we can proceed with phase two of the Leviathan Plan._

"And what are our orders, Grandmaster?" asked Harriet.

There was a long pause, as the three quietly awaited their master's orders. Finally, Salem spoke. _General Fox. Has Onyx begun his preparations for the ritual?_ Argent gave a brief nod. "Indeed. However, it will be a while before it is close to completion."

 _Then you are to return to Atlas and resume your duties as general, until the time comes when your services are required once more._ Hearing this, Argent simply bowed in acknowledgement.

 _Rok, you shall continue the search for the Maidens, be it their identity or where Ozpin's forces may have hidden them. In addition, you are to meet with Fenrir, and ensure that his forces continue to grow in number._

Rok shrugged. "Ah, fine...though I hoped I wouldn't have to see his ugly face again so soon. Still, your wish is my command, I guess."

 _As for you, Harriet,_ Salem continued. _Your task is to head to Shade Academy and meet with our acolyte. They are crucial to the next part of our plan, and it will be up to you to ensure they can reach their full potential._

"I will fulfill your request gladly," Harriet replied, bowing respectfully.

 _Good. Remember, all of you, discretion is paramount. The key to our success will lie not in overwhelming force, but destroying all our enemies' efforts, one by one, until they have nothing but their own despair. Already one of their precious relics is in our hands, and the rest will follow - in time._ As Salem's voice faded out, the portal dissipated into the sky.

"She's really just all talk, isn't she?," Rok grumbled. "She's got that sweet, stupid way with words that makes herself sound oh-so important, but only an animal would fall for it….y'know, like you!" He addressed the barbed comment at Harriet.

The rabbit Faunus did not react to the insult. "It seems your time in the city was enjoyable," she said emotionlessly. "Did you get to meet Qrow and Raven?"

"Nah. Not this time," sighed Rok. "It's going to be hard returning to Fenrir empty-handed like that. Ha, and I thought cutting up his goonies into pieces made him pissed off!" he giggled.

"Suit yourself. I have no interest in your personal affairs, so I'll be taking my leave now", said Harriet distastefully. "And please remember that the silver-eyed girl is _not_ to be harmed - when the time comes, I will be the one to judge her strength." With that, she teleported away.

"Awww, you really like her, don't you?" Rok laughed as Harriet vanished. "Ah, who cares. Anyway," he turned to the general. "You going back home right now - to see your kid?"

"I am," Argent nodded. "Onyx and I have been entrusted with the Yin for now - it was originally housed in the academy, after all. I will be sure to keep it secure until the plan has been completed."

Rok grinned mischievously. "Oh sure, alright. But c'mon, general, admit it. You don't give a damn about the Yin itself, do you? I mean, well, not anymore. I think I can guess what you're _really_ looking for - and I'm sure old Onyx wants it just as much, though for a completely different reason."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said the general solemnly.

"Now that's a lie and you know it," Rok hissed, suddenly leaning in towards Argent's face. He flashed him an unpleasant sneer. "Don't forget, Mr. General, that you ain't got any friends here. And if you decide piss me off...well. I'll be sure to tell Salem about your little 'secret'."

Rok raised his arm and summoned a black void. With his threat still lingering in the air, he walked into the portal and disappeared, leaving Argent alone.

* * *

 _Infirmary, Beacon Academy_

"Mm-mmm…." Summer groaned as her eyes flickered open.

For a few seconds, she didn't understand where she was. It was the ringing of that familiar bell, signifying lunchtime, that jogged her memory. _Oh, right,_ she thought. _I'm back at Beacon…wait..._

She continued to lay there, head on her pillow, as she began to remember what had happened at Mountain Glenn. She and Team STRQ had disobeyed orders and attempted to fight off the Grimm invasion themselves. They'd confronted Doctor Merlot and defeated his monstrous creation...but then he'd attempted to blow them all up along with his lab. And then... _What happened after that? We got out...somehow…_

 _Someone was there,_ she thought. _I saw someone...someone I recognized...but who was it?_

Summer shook her head in frustration. "Why can't I remember?" she said angrily.

"Oh. You're finally awake." A familiar voice came from her bedside. It was Raven Branwen, clad not in her Huntress garb, but a simple T-shirt and jeans.

"Raven?" Summer muttered, turning to see her friend watching her with a look of both concern and relief. "What...happened…?"

The dark-haired Huntress sighed. "Somehow...we survived the explosion, and Heather's team eventually found and rescued us...but it seems we were all incapacitated for quite a while. Brother and I regained consciousness a week ago, and Taiyang recovered just yesterday."

"O-Oh," Summer said, struggling to sit up in her bed. There was an IV drip stuck to her right arm. "Wait, what do you mean 'a week'? How long was I out?"

"A week and a half - approximately," her friend admitted. As Summer scrambled to get up, Raven raised her voice. "Now, now, there's no need to panic. You may have missed several days of schoolwork, but-"

"No, not that!" said Summer angrily. "The city! Did everyone else make it out alright?"

"Professor Forrester managed to gather all the students and evacuate them - along with as many civilians as possible - when the airship arrived," Raven reassured her. "But the rest of Mountain Glenn...it had to be left to its fate."

A pang of despair entered Summer's heart as she heard that. "What?" she gasped. "You mean-"

"Summer, I believe I know what you want to say," Raven said sternly. "But save it for later. There was nothing else we could have done. We attempted to play the hero, and we made an adequate attempt, but you should remember that that doesn't always work."

Summer sat there wordlessly, gazing downward. _We really...failed? We became Huntsmen to deal with situations like these, and still...it wasn't enough?_ "But-"

"Don't say a word." A tangible hint of annoyance entered Raven's voice. "And I certainly hope you won't indulge in any worthless self-pity, because if you think you're the only person taking this badly, then you're sorely mistaken."

 _That's right...Raven's always been really proud of her own strength. She's probably feeling even worse than I am._ Taking a deep breath, Summer changed the subject. "R-Raven, um…I've been meaning to ask…"

"What is it?" Raven looked at her with some curiosity.

"Well...before the invasion began, I was visiting the city's museum and...that strange boy - 'Rok' - showed up and started attacking me. He seemed to know you and Qrow, and you also seemed to recognize him from somewhere." Summer hesitated. "So, um...do you know him from somewhere?"

To her surprise, Raven displayed no apparent reaction. Wordlessly, she pulled up a chair from behind her and quietly sat down. A few more moments of silence passed before she spoke. "Summer," she began. "How much do you know about where Brother and I came from?"

"What?" That wasn't the response she'd expected. "Umm...well, I know you both came from a village somewhere in Mantle, away from the capital city of Atlas. You eventually came to Vale with your dad...but nowadays the only family you really keep in touch with is your uncle, Luka." She paused. "That's it, right? I mean, that's as far as I know."

"Partially," Raven replied. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before continuing. "Our hometown was a village called 'Valhalla'. All of the inhabitants were part of a large tribe. They used to follow a nomadic lifestyle, but by the time Qrow and I were born, they had settled down."

Summer said nothing, but continued to listen, her interest piqued.

"It was about as harsh and unforgiving as you might expect from a small village in the middle of a desert of snow. Constant blizzards and Grimm attacks - out there, it was fight or die, every day." Raven paused before continuing. "My brother and I...played off each other's strengths quite well. And we survived...though I wonder if we would still be here today were it not for my Semblance."

"Your Semblance...you can sense other people's emotions, right?" Summer asked. She still wasn't sure why Raven was suddenly telling her her life's story, but she was intrigued by what her friend had to say.

"That's merely a side-effect of my true Semblance," Raven corrected her. "I first discovered my Semblance when I was four. I'd been having nightmares, and I'd drawn them down. They were pictures of my mother with her head missing. And the next day, an Alpha Beowolf found its way into our village - and my mother was killed."

There was another pause, as if she was waiting for Summer to process what she was saying. "As I got older, the nightmares got more frequent...but I also realized they weren't nightmares. They were visions. And every time I had one, misfortune struck our village soon afterward. A Grimm invasion, a blizzard, or an epidemic..."

"Your Semblance is future sight," said Summer. It wasn't a question. "You...can tell when bad things happen."

"Yes. Exactly," Raven nodded. "And as a side effect of seeing people's futures, I can also perceive their strongest emotions. It's a passive effect that I have little control over...with my current training, that is."

An idea popped into Summer's head. "That's how you knew about the secret lab in Merlot Industries," she said suddenly. "You had a vision of us entering it, and fighting that monster he created."

"That's correct," said Raven. "That was admittedly pure luck...but I'm willing to accept good fortune when it happens. But back to my story…

"The village elders saw how my power could be beneficial for us. That, combined with our father being the chieftain, meant that my family was given privileges most others didn't have. We were lucky - aside from Father, we also had Uncle Luka and his son to keep us company. Father was strong and kept us safe, while Uncle was weak but intelligent. All things considered, it seemed fate was on our side...

"But one day another vision came to me. I saw Valhalla burning to ashes, dead bodies laying everywhere. And in the middle of it all, I saw my uncle, watching the destruction unfold with a cruel smile on his face." Raven's hands were shaking now. She gritted her teeth as she went on: "When I told Father, he decided not to tell anyone. He and Luka were never close, but I assume he still feared that his brother might be driven out. Instead...he simply took Qrow and I, packed some supplies, and without warning we all left the village for good."

Summer was taken back by the abruptness of Raven's story. She remembered Qrow telling her how their father had taken them and left their village, but she'd never imagined it would be for a reason like this. "And...what happened after that?"

"What always happens - we ran into Grimm. By that point, Qrow and I were ten - we were strong enough to fight for ourselves. But we were still overwhelmed, and Father sacrificed himself, holding them off long enough for us to escape. After that, we trudged through the snow by ourselves, trying to avoid Grimm habitats and bearing the endless snowstorms. After a whole month, we made it to Atlas. Qrow was nearly dead; I had to carry him for the last few days."

"And then...the two of you moved to Vale," Summer said quietly.

"Not immediately. It was only after we'd recovered, obviously, and had saved up enough money for airship tickets that we left for the Kingdom of Vale. We'd heard that a wise old man, known as Ozpin, lived in Vale, and that he might be able to help us."

"Help with...what?"

"Discovering our tribe's fate," Raven answered grimly. "We never did find out what happened to Valhalla - only that it was destroyed. Countless expeditions that have explored Mantle say there are nothing but ruins where it once stood. And then one day Uncle Luka showed up out of nowhere, claiming that a rival clan had destroyed the village and everyone in it, and that he'd only survived by temporarily joining them."

She brought her fist down angrily on her chair. "But I never believed him. My Semblance is never wrong. My uncle destroyed our village, and I have made it my duty to find out why...and bring him to justice, if I can."

"Your uncle…" Suddenly, Summer remembered the frightened look on Qrow's face when he'd had Luka's name mentioned to him. "But what does the headmaster have to do with this?"

"Uncle Luka loved keeping notes for his research," Raven replied. "He is an archeologist, after all. Back in Valhalla, Qrow and I would often sneak into his room and read through them. We didn't understand them, but they repeatedly mentioned "relics"...and that whatever they were, they had a connection to the Huntsman Academies. That was the only lead I had, but I took it. I suppose I could have chosen any of the four, but I chose Beacon...and the rest is history, as you might say."

Summer shook her head slowly. _This is...a lot to take in. I can't believe Qrow and Raven had such a past...and why did Qrow never tell me?_ "I think I get it, but...that's not really all there is, right?"

"It was - until the incident at Mountain Glenn," Raven admitted. "That boy, who you say called himself Rok, used Dust teleportation to escape. That is one of several techniques unique to our clan - I have seen no textbook explain how to use it."

Summer nodded. "I mean, it's true that I've never seen any other student use portals like you have," she said. "So you're saying...he was someone from Valhalla?"

"That's correct," her friend confirmed. "And more specifically - since you say he mentioned his father...I believe he is Luka's son - my cousin, who I thought had perished along with everyone else all those years ago."

As she finished, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the next class. Raven stood up and walked over to the door. As she put her hand on the doorknob, she turned to face Summer with a cautionary look in her red eyes.

"I told you all this because I know you'd want to hear the truth, but also because I've come to trust you," she said tersely. "Don't tell anyone about this - not even Tai. I must find out what my uncle was researching and why he did what he did. It's the final duty I owe to my family."

Her eyes softened, and she seemed to relax just a bit. "Rest a bit, Summer. You should be alright to go back to classes tomorrow. Don't worry - Professor Forrester insisted that she shouldn't be reprimanded for disobeying orders."

"That's great," Summer laughed, and paused, a thought coming to mind. "Hey, Raven. Rok mentioned someone named 'Fenrir'. Was he a member of your tribe, too? Maybe another cousin of yours?"

"Fenrir?" Raven shook her head. "No, I don't recognize the name. Uncle Luka only had one child that I know of, and his name was Ragna." She opened the door, and walked out. "See you later," she said.

Summer was left alone again. The nurse came by about an hour later, and was relieved to see her patient had regained consciousness. Despite Summer's protests, she insisted that she stay in the infirmary for one more night.

It was hard for her to really comprehend what Raven had said to her. Not that she didn't _believe_ her friend, but it a lot to take in at once, and Summer felt that much of her story didn't make much sense. It seemed like Raven was really jumping to conclusions about what had happened.

She remembered Qrow's description of Luka Branwen - a harmless but intelligent old man with a fascination for artifacts. Not the type of person who would destroy his own village...unless Qrow had lied.

 _What else have those two kept from me?_ That insidious thought suddenly popped into Summer's brain. _No!_ She thought. _I shouldn't doubt my friends...I'm sure they had their reasons._

 _What reasons?_ The voices in her head seemed to say. _Why couldn't she have told you this earlier? You're supposed to be a team! You should be working together! Keeping secrets from one another is the opposite of that!_

 _She's right,_ Summer thought dejectedly. _Er, wait, I mean_ I'm _right._

Despite Raven's admonitions, the thought of Mountain Glenn began to enter her mind again. All those people...the people that the Huntsmen had sworn to protect... _It's my fault they died._

Of course, she knew that wasn't true. It had been dangerous - far too dangerous for any student Huntsman to handle. But Summer still had the feeling that it could have been avoided, if only the right person had done the right thing.

For a moment, she wondered if things like this were going to just keeping happening, over and over. Sure, Teams STRQ and HTHR had saved the Amity Coliseum last year, but the more Summer thought about it, the more it seemed like a fluke.

She'd wanted to be strong, strong enough to protect people as a Huntress. But now Mountain Glenn had fallen. And with Raven's story, Summer wondered how many other villages had been destroyed without fanfare over the years with no help coming to save them. Was this really all there was? Just tragedy after tragedy, endlessly failing to save the people who had put their trust in you?

Was this what it meant to be a Huntress?

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Remnant's Strongest**_


	34. Remnant's Strongest

**Chapter 9: Remnant's Strongest**

 _ **TEN MONTHS LATER**_

 _Patch Island_

The voices still haunted her dreams.

" _Well, well, if it isn't Summer."_

" _The biggest wimp in the kingdom shows her ugly face again!"_

" _Why do I bother teaching you? Just face it - you'll never be a Huntress."_

Those voices, cruel and condescending, rang like scratches on metal through her ears. She remembered those times, clear as day. Back then, she had no one to believe in her. She had nothing, no purpose to fight for. So when people told her that she was worthless, she'd believed them.

" _No matter what - just remember, all of you have the potential to be great Huntsmen."_

But when those memories came, one voice would always wash away the venom, and soothe her like a beautiful spring breeze. And with it came the image of a young blond woman, full of youthful vigor and compassion, as she spoke confidently.

" _You might think you're weak, and worthless, but I promise that isn't the case. And you don't have to stay that way. Why do you think Huntsmen were created? To protect those people who can't protect themselves, so that one day they can repay the world in kind. Even the best warriors you've known have been where you are right now. So if you ever hate feeling helpless, remember that and it's your duty to become stronger, so that one day you can make sure no one else ever feels the same way."_

Those were the words that had started her on her path - it was the moment that nine-year old Summer Rose had been reborn. When she felt her will faltering in the coming years, she always thought of the girl who had given the speech.

Obviously, the girl hadn't addressed Summer directly, or had even been aware she'd existed. She was just some representative who'd been invited to give a speech - probably for some extra community hours. Summer couldn't even remember what her name was anymore. None of that mattered. The girl had inspired her, and since that day Summer had carried a bright flame of hope in her heart.

 _To protect those people who can't protect themselves._

She made it sound so easy. But people who followed such an ideal always discovered that the truth wasn't so simple, or as beautifully heroic.

The dream was ending now, and light was entering through Summer Rose's eyelids. "Urghh…" she muttered, waking up in her bed.

She wasn't at Beacon. She was back home in Patch, and outside her window she could see the white snow battering against the windowpanes. Yawning, she agonizingly pulled herself out of bed and changed into her winter clothes. Still drowsy, the young woman staggered slowly out of her room and down the staircase for breakfast.

After a few minutes, she was staring blankly at her omelette, not eating a bite. Hunger was not the first thing on her mind right now.

The months after the fall of Mountain Glenn had been, by all accounts, perfectly normal. Once Summer got out of the infirmary, she continued attending classes with her team. They laughed together at the cafeteria, trained and studied together, and life went on, as if nothing had happened.

Summer had kept her promise to Raven. She hadn't told anyone about her story. She couldn't help but notice that as the year went on she'd spoken less and less to Qrow. Back in first year, it would've been impossible to believe that she'd miss the company of her grumpy partner.

Tai would often try to cheer her up, and while it hadn't done much to help her frustration, Summer had forced a smile and tried her best to convince everyone, including herself, that everything was fine.

"Morning mom!" Summer looked up to see Autumn skipping cheerfully into the room. "Hope you slept well for your first night back home!" the girl chirped.

"I'm not your-" Summer sighed. "I slept fine, Autumn. Really. I hope you weren't too lonely without me around."

Autumn shook her head. "Nah, it was great! Tremina bought me video games and took me into the city all the time! I mean, sure, I'd have liked to play with you, mom..."

Summer smiled. "Maybe someday, Autumn."

"So-oooo...how was Beacon?" Autumn tilted her head to the side, a frown forming on her delicate face. "Umm...are you still thinking about...the city that fell…?"

Summer nodded slowly. "I...yeah. I - we were supposed to be Huntsmen. We were supposed to be heroes, but we couldn't...er. I mean, I shouldn't talk about it to a child like you-"

"N-no! Please!" the little girl insisted. "I know it's bothering you, s-so...you should talk to people about it...right…?"

Summer considered it for a moment, but ultimately shook her head firmly. "No," she said. "You're just too young to know about things like these. I know you said you wanted to be like me someday, but you should know that being a Huntress...well, it's not as romantic as it sounds." Without waiting for Autumn's reaction, she walked out of the room, her breakfast still untouched.

 _I almost sounded a bit like Raven just now, didn't I?_ She thought to herself, feeling slightly amused.

She took her white hood out of the closet and hastily put it on. Fumbling around the messily organized compartment for a moment, she drew out Phoenix Heart and looked over the bow. _Well, just to be safe I guess,_ she thought to herself. She was going out to the grocery store in town, which meant going through the forest. There shouldn't be any Grimm wandering around at this time of day, but it was best to be careful.

Summer opened the front door and stepped out, flinching slightly at the rush of snow fitting her in the face. Pulling her hood further down her head, she closed the door, before pausing with her hand on the knob. _Something's wrong._ Her instincts were acting up, telling her something - or someone was approaching.

She caught a sound coming from somewhere behind her. "Hrahhh!" She turned around quickly, detaching Phoenix Heart's blades, preparing to block her enemy's strike. _Clang!_ There was the sound of two swords colliding, before her assailant leapt back and let out a small chuckle.

"Heh. Not bad, partner," he said.

Summer lowered her weapon. "Wait, _Qrow_?" she asked disbelievingly. "Wh - why are you here?"

"I just wanted to - well, uh, Raven wanted me to check up on you," her partner said hastily. "Guess I could've picked a better time than the one day hell decides to freeze over, huh? Well, point is, here I am, so uh...you doin' alright?"

Summer didn't answer. "Where...where did you even come from?"

"Hm? Uh, somewhere up there." Qrow pointed vaguely into the snowy sky. "Our house is actually not that far from Patch, y'know? Airships were delayed because of the snow, so I had to fly all the way here myself for once, but turns out it only takes about an hour. Pretty convenient."

"An _hour_?" Summer was in disbelief. "In this weather? Are you serious?"

"I'm used to the cold," Qrow replied bluntly.

 _Oh, that's right._ Summer remembered that the Branwen twins had been raised in Mantle. A sudden burst of resentment rushed through her veins. Without thinking, she blurted out, "Why did you never tell me?"

Qrow stared at her. "What're you...oh." He stared down at the snow-covered ground. "So Sis told you, huh?"

"Yeah, she did!" said Summer, more angrily than she'd intended. "About Valhalla, and your uncle, and the real reason you two came to Beacon - all of it! Did the two of you just decide that I - or Tai for that matter - weren't trustworthy enough to know about it?"

Qrow did not look up. "Wasn't much point in getting you guys involved," he muttered. "It was our...duty."

"Raven said basically the same thing. But it's a lot less convincing coming from you!" Summer retorted. "We could have helped you! Remember how we all worked together to stop Harriet and Buck? We would have done the same thing - help each other out! How can we be a real team if we can't even be honest with each other?" She realized she was letting out all the pent-up anger she'd felt over the past months.

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Qrow raised his hands in a mock surrender. "You're right, ok? Look, think of it this way. Deep down, I know Sis _really_ wants to do this herself. She'll sometimes get other people's help, but only if it's on _her_ terms. Especially when it's a family matter." He sighed. "If I'd told anyone, or asked for help, well...I guess it would have hurt her feelings."

Summer could not believe what he'd just said. "Hurt...her...feelings?!"

Qrow grinned wearily. "Raven's weaker than you think, y'know. I don't mean that as in she can't break your legs and rip you in half with her bare hands. I mean that she's not very, well, accommodating. Once she's convinced herself of something, anyone tries to challenge that belief, she'll take it as a personal insult. Trust me, I'd know."

Seeing that Summer wasn't responding, Qrow shuffled awkwardly on the spot before continuing. "Well, that's what Uncle Luka thinks, anyway. He says our old man was pretty much the same. Dad and Sis were pretty alike from what I remember."

"Your uncle," said Summer quietly. "Is it true that he destroyed your village?"

"Honestly? I don't know," Qrow shrugged. He casually stuck his greatsword in a nearby tree as his expression turned serious. "I can't deny that I don't like the idea. Uncle Luka's probably the first person who really believed in me. And even now, I can't believe he's the type of person to do shitty things like that. But the fact is...no matter what, I trust Raven. That's all."

He smiled. "Oh yeah, and what was it you said a minute ago? About being honest with each other? That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Huh?" Summer asked.

"You think I didn't notice?" Qrow sighed. "All those months after Mountain Glenn, you clearly never got over it, but you just pretended everything was fine. Tai tried to help, but that clearly didn't work. Keeping all that stuff inside doesn't really help anyone, y'know?"

"If you knew, why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, because I figured you were tough enough to get over it yourself! Or that maybe, you'd actually come to your senses and talk to us about it!" Qrow snapped. "But clearly I was wrong about you!"

There was a pause as the two of them glared at each other. Then a voice came from behind Summer. "Ummm...hello?" It was Autumn, glancing at them nervously. "Is everything ok?"

"Autumn! Y-you shouldn't be out when it's so cold!" Summer chastised the girl.

Qrow grinned awkwardly. "'Sup, Autumn. Hope Summer's been taking care of you."

"Uh-huh!" Autumn giggled, running right into the snow in her little dress. "Qrow, I didn't think you'd show up! Does this mean you really _are_ mommy's boyfriend?"

"Absolutely not," said Summer firmly. Qrow just snorted. "Mommy? Does she still call you that?"

"W-well, why can't she?" Summer retorted halfheartedly. "Anyway, I was about to go into town when you came in out of nowhere, so if you'll excuse me…"

Qrow just shook his head. "Nope. There's something else you need to do first." He pointed Reaper's Gambit at her. "What do you say to a little duel, huh? The Vytal Tournament's coming again this year, and you bet your ass we're taking the number one spot this time! We gotta make sure we're up for it!"

"Since when did you care about winning the tournament?" Summer asked suspiciously.

"Since I learned about the grand prize of a hundred thousand Lien," said her partner. "Before the new term starts, we're gonna get the whole squad together -Tai, Heather, all the others - and train our asses off. But first - I wanna see if _you're_ up for it."

Summer took a deep breath. She looked up at Qrow, strangely feeling much better. She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt more confident and at ease. She drew her bow steadily. "You bet I am," she said.

"Oooh, this is gonna be so good!" Autumn giggled. "I wanna see just how strong you two are!"

Focusing her mind, Summer aimed an arrow at Qrow, waiting for his move. The moment she saw a movement in his body, she fired the projectile and leapt into the air, splitting the bow into her blades. She landed a hit on Qrow's greatsword before he retaliated with a powerful swing. They parried several times before Summer leapt back.

"Hmph. Is that seriously the best you can do?" Qrow taunted, brandishing his blade at her. "In your dreams!" replied Summer, gritting her teeth.

They continued their duel for several minutes. Time seemed to fly for Summer, who was having more fun than she'd had in months. It came close, but ultimately it ended with her lying in the snow with Qrow's blade to her neck.

"Alright, that's enough. I guess I'll give you a pass," Qrow conceded, retracting his sword. "But you've still got a long way to go."

Autumn was clapping. "That was AWESOME!" she laughed , shaking uncontrollably with excitement.

Summer winced in pain as she tried to pull herself up. "Ugh...so much for going into town today." She glared up at her partner. "Isn't this the part where you pull me up?"

"What? You can't get up yourself?" Qrow retorted. But he held out his hand anyway, and Summer took it.

* * *

 _Bandit Hideout, Kingdom of Vacuo_

The sides of the ancient building shook as the force of the explosion rang through the entire grim structure. Several loose bricks fell from their walls and collapsed to the ground in a heap. In the flames of what seconds ago had been a functioning hideout, several men were running around in a panic, struggling to comprehend what was happening. Some of them were screaming in pain.

The second blast quieted them nicely. After that, everything was quiet except for the flickering flames. Disoriented, ears ringing from the explosion, one of the bandits was scrambling around on the floor, his senses slowly numbing as blood seeped from his wounds.

Through his stupor, he could hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Instinct told him that they did not belong to any friend of his. Terror rose in his chest. _No. Fear is unworthy of me. It is not the way of my people._ Even so, he found himself desperately moving away from the sound, only to feel the sharp impact of a foot on his back.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A female voice said mockingly, turning him over on his back. She was young, with long pink hair in a ponytail and sharp yellow eyes. "Looks like one of you's still alive, huh?"

The bandit struggled to choke out his words. "Who...are you…?"

"Heroes of justice, here to purge scum like you from the world," said someone else, moving into his view. It was a young brown-haired man, wielding a carbon steel blade with silver handles. He flashed an unfriendly smile at the bandit. "This is what you and your friends deserve for thinking evil could ever triumph over good."

"Y-you have no idea what you're doing!" the bandit hissed, fear finally overtaking him. "Master Fenrir will never forgi-"

His panicked rambling was interrupted by his head being severed from his shoulders by the young man's blade. "That will shut him up," he sighed, turning to his partner. "You don't think we went too harsh on them, do you Psycha?"

Psycha laughed. "Please. When you're the strongest Huntress in all of Remnant, what's wrong with showing off?" she said snobbily. "'Dangerous criminals', my ass. Headmaster Thane must really be going senile if he thought these morons could be a challenge for _me._ "

She held her hand out to the side. Moments later, Bubble the robot bird came flying gracefully onto her shoulder, letting out a cheerful chirp. "This is good," she muttered as she petted her mechanical friend. "Don't you think so, Locke?"

"Heh." Locke Silverstein grinned as he kicked the bandit's head across the floor. "A beautiful lady as my partner and enough power to destroy all the evil in the world? What could possibly be better?" He casually flicked some blood off his sword.

Psycha glanced him in undisguised revulsion. "Ugh. You and your stupid 'hero' talk. Do people like you ever grow up?" she grumbled, before looking behind her at the open door. "Well. You guys finally showed up, huh?"

"Damn right! Y'really put in the work on this hole, didn't ya?" came a gruff voice from outside. Two young Huntsmen, a boy and a girl, walked into the room, joining their teammates.

"Storm. Moss. It's good to see you," Locke smiled at them.

"Ahhh-ha-ha...sure is a shit time to be a Huntsman, huh?" Storm Columbus was a tall man of bulky stature, his massive muscles bulging underneath his tattered vest. He cracked his knuckles gleefully, and tiny sparks of electricity flew from the Dust crystals embedded in his gauntlets, causing his bleach-white hair to stand up. "When y'have people like us as the competition, why should anyone else even bother, eh?" he chuckled.

"Indeed." His partner, Moss Creedo, was practically his complete opposite. A petite, perpetually quiet young girl with dark hair, carrying her sniper rifle, she was a full two heads shorter than Storm, even with the green beret placed neatly on her head. Thick bandages covering her left eye, she glanced without emotion over the violent scene. "...Another one down?"

Psycha nodded. "That's right. The headmaster wants _all_ the crime rings in Vacuo gone by the time the Vytal Festival rolls around - wouldn't want killers and thieves messing up his fancy party! And that's _exactly_ what I'm going to do."

"As long as our little friend keeps cooperating with us," said Locke.

"She will," insisted Psycha. "I don't care what stupid 'experiment' she says she's doing - that little rabbit works for _me_ now, and _I'll_ be the one ordering her around. She's a Faunus - it's not like she's new to the concept, is she?"

"...she's not a slave," Moss said angrily.

Storm spat on the ground. "Don't trust her one bit," he growled. "She showed us that gem that made ya super strong, but if she tries to turn her back on us we get to kill her, huh?"

"Obviously. Traitors are the worst type of scum in my book," Locke said agreeably. "But it won't come to that. A hero of justice would never fall prey to trickery."

Psycha appeared disinterested in her teammates' chatter. "Anyway, at this rate, there's no chance we'll lose the tournament this year," she said casually. "With Dad and the rabbit girl's help, we're gonna dominate the competition. Latte Adel, Heather Fox, and even that special little girl Thane seems so worried about - the one with the silver eyes. Everyone's gonna see that Team PLSM is Remnant's strongest team." A deranged smile formed across her face.

The sound of yelling could now be heard in the distance. Moss grabbed her rifle. "...Enemies," she muttered, barely a whisper.

"Well, looks like their bandit friends are finally showing up - too late," Locke smiled. "Time to get out and report our success to the academy." Psycha nodded in agreement.

A minute later, a small army of about a hundred men, glad in black-red garb wearing crude bone masks, arrived at the wrecked hideout with their weapons drawn. Though they searched every corner of the place, there was no sign of who - or what - had slaughtered their comrades.

It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. All around Vacuo, recent reports had come in about spontaneous and destructive attacks on suspected criminal and terrorist hotspots all around the Kingdom, with no one really knowing what was behind them. Some believed they were the work of expert Huntsmen, but no one ever came forward to claim credit for the attacks.

Others suggested the Vacuo council was testing a secret weapon - some device of such power that it could restore the Kingdom to its former glory. But without any proof, those rumours soon died down as well.

And so life went on as normal in the Kingdom of Vacuo, the thought of those incidents tucked safely away in the corners of the citizens' minds, none of them realizing just how deeply they would soon affect all of their lives...

* * *

 **A/N There will be no new chapters for about two weeks. Exams are coming up for me so I won't be able to focus on writing for a while. Hope you all understand.**


	35. Training Day

**Chapter 10: Training Day**

 _Outdoor Training Field, Beacon Academy_

Summer took a deep breath and loaded an arrow into her bow. She carefully took aim at the bullseye on the other side end of the field, paying close attention to the direction and force of the wind. The indoor training rooms could simulate environmental factors of a battle quite well, but nothing could beat the real thing.

She pulled the bow back and released the arrow, watching it embed itself near the middle of the target, not quite impacting the centre. Still, it was better than nothing. _I've still got it,_ she thought confidently. _And I'll keep getting better from here._ She loosed another arrow.

 _Bang!_ A shot rang through the air as a bullet flew through the arrow, snapping it in two, before cleanly making a hole in the surface of the bullseye. Surprised, Summer looked back to see Heather waving at her, pistol in hand. Herman, Torrence and Regal were right behind her. "You and your team seem to be doing well," she said cheerfully. "Mind if we join in?"

"Sure," said Summer. She looked over to where Tai was observing a sparring match between Qrow and Raven. "Hey Tai!" she called out to the blonde Huntsman. "Heather's team just got done second period - you can train with them if you want."

"Well look who it is - how have you guys been doing?" Tai greeted Team HTHR as he walked up to them. "You ready for this year's tournament or what?" He exchanged a brief fist-bump with Regal. "You bet we are!" the albino responded energetically. "This time Beacon's gonna win for sure -but it'll be us, not you!"

Heather walked over to Summer, glancing with interest at Phoenix Heart. "You seem to be wielding that weapon with a lot more confidence than before," she noted with an analytical tone. "I'll be glad to test your skill with it, if you want."

Summer nodded nervously. "Y-yeah, sure...why not? I'm way faster than I was than when I first started." Though she was confident in her skill with the weapon, she wasn't sure she could take on someone like Heather, especially after she'd been utterly demolished during her last duel with her.

Meanwhile, Raven had knocked away her brother's weapon with a final swing of her katana, sending the heavy greatsword clattering to the ground with a _clang._ Next to them, Tai had now challenged Torrence and Regal to both take him on at once. Herman had transformed his harpoon into the form of a sniper rifle, and was nonchalantly firing shards of ice Dust at the bullseye. _Well, I might as well get some practice - anything will help for the tournament,"_ Summer decided. She readied her bow. "Okay, here we go!"

"Very well." Heather nodded, and swiftly drew her pistols from her pockets. Leaping backward, she fired several rounds at Summer, who immediately began to began. "Ack-!" she yelped, jumping around clumsily to avoid the first two bullets. She shook her head as she regained her footing. _No, no - you can do this._ As she heard the sounds of the next gunshots, she drew her bow back, but she was too slow. The next thing she felt was a shot of pain as a bullet impacted her chest. "Ugh!" She crumpled to the ground.

Heather shook her head. "Fine effort, but I'm afraid that wasn't good enough. If you want, we can practice again later-"

"No!" Summer insisted, getting back up. The shot hadn't taken off too much of her Aura. "Let's go for one more try!" She drew her bow again, with renewed determination.

"Well, alright. One more time won't hurt, I suppose." As Heather readied her pistols a second time, Summer focused her gaze on her opponent. She tried to take in every aspect of Heather's movements - the placement of her feet, the direction her eyes were facing, and the way she was aiming her pistols. She drowned out the sounds of her friends dueling in the background, and focused everything on trying to predict her opponent's next move.

The moment she saw Heather's finger go toward the trigger, Summer pulled back her bow and fired two arrows, one straight and one slightly to the left. A millisecond later, there were two shots fired, as Summer's arrows and Heather's bullets collided in midair, cancelling each other out.

 _Yes!_ Feeling a surge of confidence, Summer fired several more arrows, as Heather reflexively shot each of them out of the sky as they were released. A bullet struck one of Summer's arrows before she could loose it, causing it to detonate in her face. "Augh-ughhh!" she coughed as the Dust entered her eyes and nostrils. Blinking furiously as her eyes began to water, she could see Heather was reloading her weapons.

Taking the opportunity, Summer leapt at her as she separated Phoenix Heart into its two blades. Heather blocked her swift strikes using her pistols, parrying and reloading them simultaneously. As Summer prepared to swing her swords, Heather fired several explosive rounds that forced her to raise her weapons in a guarding position. The resulting explosions released a wave of gas that obscured Summer's view.

Leaping back, Summer returned her weapon back to its bow form, uncertainly taking aim into the still-present cloud of gas, waiting for Heather to emerge. The sound of a gun being reloading caught her attention, and she tightened her grip on the bow. Suddenly, a strange object flew out of the cloud, striking her in the head. A gunshot rang out, and Summer found herself flung back-first into the ground.

Holding her head in pain, she sat up and saw the boomerang pistol fly back into Heather's hand. The Huntress walked over to her and held out her hand. "Good work," she said sincerely. "I think that should be enough for now." Nodding weakly, Summer took it.

"That, um, that seems to be new upgrade for you," she said. Heather just smiled, returning the weapon back to normal. "You're not the only person who's willing to improve their fighting capabilities. I don't think even I could simply use a pair of guns forever."

The rest of Teams STRQ and HTHR were done with their training for the day, and had all gathered on the nearby benches to chat. They still had a few more minutes before their next class began. Summer and Heather went over to join them.

"So who do you think'll be the biggest threats during the tournament?" Tai asked, kicking back his feet and playing a video game on his Scroll. "This year's our last chance to win it big, and there's no way I'm gonna get it go to waste!"

"Many of the teams from the last tournament have graduated by now," Torrence noted. "There will be plenty of new faces, and they'll be tough to predict."

Qrow sighed. "Relax, we'll be fine - well at least, _we'll_ be fine," he said, nodding at his teammates. "Remember when we beat Team LIME? Just keep training and we've got this in the bag."

"Oh? You mean in that battle where you got knocked out in the first minute?" Regal grinned. "Yeah, don't think anyone's forgotten about that."

"Th-that was just bad luck!" Qrow retorted.

They continued talking for a while, discussing the various teams that they thought would make it to the Vytal Festival Tournament later in the year. Tai brought up Team NCKL (nickel), a group of formidable first-years hailing from Atlas Academy, while Heather expressed an interest in fighting Team SLCN (silicon), a fourth-year team from Haven led by a pair of identical twins.

"Actually," said Herman suddenly, surprising everyone by waking up from his apparent nap. "I've heard there's some...other team that's apparently got a super high chance of winning this year. Hadn't heard of them before, but they're called….uh, Team PLSM, from Shade Academy."

Qrow gave a scoff of disbelief. "From Shade? Those chumps have never won the tournament before. What's so special about these guys?"

"I...haven't heard of this team," Raven frowned. "That's strange - I thought I'd kept track of all the powerful opponents."

Herman shrugged lazily. "Eh? I dunno, it's just what I've heard, y'know? No one's told me anything specific, but the rumours are real, alright. Shade's ace in the hole, that's what people call 'em. I guess it would be nice for Vacuo to finally win at something, huh?"

"Normally I'd agree," said Tai energetically, "but this is OUR victory we're talking about! Shade can have their big moment some other year - though I gotta admit, I'm kinda curious to see what the Vytal Festival's gonna be like over there."

Qrow laughed. "Hard to imagine a festival in a cesspool like Vacuo, honestly. What do they serve for the food, sand? It's about the only thing they've got a lot of."

"Tell me about it!" Regal sighed dramatically. "I feel bad for them, really...going from Atlas to Vacuo? That's one hell of a downgrade if you ask me."

Summer felt slightly uncomfortable. While she didn't exactly disagree that Vacuo was the least impressive of the four Kingdoms, with its large expanses of barren land and lack of a proper government, she wasn't fond of talking down to them either. It wasn't the kingdom's fault that they'd suffered such great losses from the Great War.

She turned to Heather. "You lived in Vacuo for a while, right? You went to combat school there before Beacon. Is the kingdom really that bad?" Summer asked.

"...Honestly, it is," Heather said reluctantly. "Other than the Oasis district, the whole kingdom is run-down and just...neglected after all these years. In fact, that's partially why I moved to Vacuo for a while. I wanted to help all the people who were hurting in the wastelands, just like Sister taught me."

"Your sister - her name's...Aurora, right?" Summer said.

Heather nodded, a sad wistfulness in her eyes. "That's right. She was always my role model as a child, taking care of me when my parents were away on work. But now, she's no better than Father," she laughed bitterly. "It's been years since I've seen her, she's so busy. Even when Aurora was still at Beacon, she was often out of touch, working as a speaker at a bunch of other schools or something…"

"A...speaker...at other schools?" Summer frowned, a thought suddenly popping into her head. "Wait a minu-"

She was interrupted by the bell, signaling the beginning of the next period. "Time for Huntsman Law," said Tai, getting back to his feet. "Don't wanna be late for Fie's class!"

Still chatting, Teams STRQ and HTHR made their way back to the schoolgrounds.

* * *

 _Huntsman Law Classroom, Beacon Academy_

"Is everyone here?" Professor Forrester called out. "Ok, good! Well, let's get on with the lecture, shall we?" The eight friends stumbled into the classroom right on time, and hurried into their seats as the lesson began.

"First of all, congrats on surviving this long! Bravo, bravo," she said casually. "You're all in the senior years now, which means you'll be taking on formal assignments from now on. And these aren't just the 'go out and kill a hundred Creeps' fests that I'm sure you're used to - this is _real_ Huntsman stuff you'll be dealing with. This is what separates the professionals from the painfully mediocre."

A display popped up on the large projector behind her. On it were some outlines of Huntsmen with their rank and various scores beneath their pictures. Those with higher scores also had higher ranks, like B and A. "To get a proper credit for Huntsman Law - which, reminder, is a required course for graduation! - you'll need to have completed at least two professional-level missions to the proper satisfaction of the Council. You won't have a teacher supervisor this time, so whether you succeed, fail or survive is one hundred percent skill!"

"Heh! Now this sounds interesting," said Qrow, his eyes opening for the first time since the beginning of the class. "No one else holding us back - it'll be time to show what we can really do!"

He turned to Summer. "That includes you, y'know. If you're gonna screw up, don't drag me down with you."

Summer rolled her eyes. "Why are you singling me out?" she replied in good humour. "I think I have more kills than you anyway." _Ok, that's probably not true, but I'm not letting him have the last laugh!_

"As if!" Qrow scoffed.

"No talking in class!" the professor chirped. "Anyway, remember that as always, how you handle your missions is entirely up to you, both in here and out in the real world." She pressed a button on her Scroll, and on the other side of the classroom a large opened. An enormous Beowulf lumbered out of its prison, growling. Several students screamed in fear.

"Some people prefer the diplomatic option...maybe you don't want to fight violence with violence, and you like to find a peaceful solution." Fie raised her staff, which began to glow purple with gravity Dust. Pointing it at the creature, a void of energy formed beneath its feet, stopping it from moving forward. It growled and yelled, struggling to move its arms, but found itself frozen in place.

"Then again," the professor continued. "Some of you might like to skip the talking and nice-guy act, and just go full 'shoot first, ask questions never'." Pressing a button, her staff collapsed on itself, revealing the barrel and trigger of an assault rifle. She pulled back on the trigger, causing a loud _BANG!-BANG!-BANG!_ to reverberate around the room as the Beowulf's body was ripped apart by the bullets.

Retracting the weapon back to its normal form, Fie turned back to the students. "That's an option too. At the end of the day, Huntsmen are all sorts of different people, with their own motives and methods, so it'll be up to you to find out what's right for you!"

Frowning at the awkward silence and the many students staring at her in surprise and fear, the professor gave a friendly wink. "Oh, don't worry," she said. "That Grimm was just a specimen we fetched for this class. Relax - it would've killed itself anyway if I'd left it in there. No danger."

On that relieving note, the class was over. All the students had been provided with projector screens were a list of potential missions had been given for them. They were all required to choose the assignment they wanted by the end of the week.

"It seems she kept her word," Raven noted, scrolling through the list thoughtfully. "These assignments definitely seem more difficult than the ones we took back in first year."

Suddenly, Tai clapped his hands together. "I've got it!" he said enthusiastically. "Why don't we go to Vacuo for our assignment? We'll get to see the festival grounds early, and maybe we'll even be able to see some of the people we'll be up against! I'd like to meet this Team PLSM and see what they're all about."

"That's...actually not a bad idea," Qrow said reluctantly. He stared at the projector for a moment before pointing at something on the screen. "Okay, this one's a C-rank mission in Vacuo. I think that's the highest we're allowed to go while we're still in training…"

Summer glanced at the same mission. "'Investigators needed: Multiple recent raids led by the cult organization known as the Brotherhood of Gehenna. Will provide reward for members apprehended. Wanted alive.'" She frowned. "The Brotherhood...I remember those people. They were in Atlas before, weren't they?"

"If they're involved, you bet I'm taking this mission!" Qrow snarled. "I still have a score to settle with those assholes, and if I can get paid for it, that's just a bonus!" Without waiting for confirmation, he moved his finger to the 'Accept' button.

Unfortunately for him, the panel displaying the mission flashed red the moment before he touched it, resulting in a dejected _BEEP_ as a message popped up, informing him that 'MISSION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN'."

"Son of a bitch!" Qrow cursed out loud.

A boyish laugh rang out from somewhere above him. "Heheh, oops. Did we take something you wanted, Birdy?" Team STRQ and HTHR looked around to see none other than Team JADE sitting triumphantly several rows behind them.

Summer felt a sharp tinge of annoyance at seeing them. While she'd never talked to the 'big bullies' of Beacon Academy, JADE's leader, Jin Shi-Huang, had been a major thorn in her side when she'd first arrived at Beacon. After the initiation, however, Summer had hoped she could just forget about him and his unpleasantness.

"I mean, if you really wanted it, of course I had to take it first - that's just life!" David, a small-statured youth with blond hair and freckles, was still laughing playfully, staring at Qrow with a mischievous grin. "Sorry buddy, ya should've been faster!"

Qrow looked like he wanted to murder the kid, but Raven spoke up to stop things from getting violent. "Do you really think you'll be able to handle something of that caliber?" she asked with a steely calm.

"Piss off! We're way stronger than we were back in our first year," Jin snapped at her. "You just don't have the brains to pay attention to us! Don't forget that we made it to the Vytal Festival this year!"

"Well then, I wish you the best of luck," Raven smiled. "Do your best to represent Beacon, won't you?"

Despite not saying anything remotely hurtful, Jin's lean face contorted in anger. He abruptly stood up. "C'mon guys, let's go. Time to mess around in the training room some more." He turned and stomped out of the classroom. David, along with Augustus and Edward, followed suit.

"Well, that's just great," sighed Tai. "No point crying over spilled milk, eh? Let's just...find something else." He scrolled through the list for a minute. "Alright, here's another good one."

"Good one? This one's just construction work," Qrow complained. "'Volunteers wanted for supervision of the construction of new prison complex.' Don't they already have security guards for that sort of thing?"

Tai shrugged. "You got any better ideas? This is pretty much the only other Vacuo mission we've got."

"Ugh. Fine," Qrow sighed. Thankfully, this time there was no interruption, and Team STRQ was registered for their assignment.

With classes over for the day, both Team STRQ and HTHR headed back to their respective dorms. "Our mission will begin in about a week," Raven reminded her teammates. "That's when we'll be heading out to Vacuo. Till then, we still have the Vytal Ball to look forward to."

Tai nodded in approval. "Now that's what I call perfect timing."

Summer realized she was feeling slightly nervous. She'd almost forgotten about the bi-annual dance that preceded the Vytal Festival, and a part of her wanted to. _Am I...going to have to dance with someone again?_ It really shouldn't have been a big deal, she'd handled it fine back in first year. Even so, she felt her heart beat a little faster at the thought of it.

She pushed away her concerns for the moment. There were other things on her mind - her training, the Vytal Tournament, and their upcoming assignment - that she needed to focus on. And for now, she just wanted to enjoy her time with her friends.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Up In The Air**_


	36. Up In The Air

**Chapter 11: Up In The Air**

 _Great Vortex, Kingdom of Vacuo_

On the outskirts of Vacuo, in the farthest reaches of the desert, lay a mysterious phenomenon that was known and feared by many. An enormous whirlpool of sand, stretching almost to the size of a small city, lay there as it had since time immemorial, waiting to swallow all those who dared to approach. There was no sign of civilization for kilometres from where it stood, and no fool who'd gone to explore what lay beneath that vortex had ever returned.

No one knew where the Great Vortex had come from, or indeed how long it had been there. There were those who claimed that it was a source of some ancient dark magic, or that the void was perpetually expanding, and would one day devour all of the continent of Sanus. Scientists were banned from ever conducting research on it, even from afar. And so it had remained a mystery, one that the people had long since given up on solving.

Thirty thousand feet in the sky, General Argent Fox observed the void from the window of his Atlesian Carrier. He said nothing, glancing solemnly at the silver locket he held in his hand. A foot soldier walked up to him apprehensively. "General Fox, we are approaching the Soulcage," he said. "The colonel will meet you at the hangar."

"Thank you," said Argent tersely, putting the locket away in his uniform. Briskly, the general made his way to the exit as the aircraft pulled into its destination.

Compared to the barren desert below, the great complex that floated high in the sky, directly above the Great Vortex, seemed like something from an entirely different world. The first public collaboration between Atlas and Vacuo, the structure known as the 'Soulcage' was to be the largest penitentiary complex in all of Sanus upon completion, almost twice the size of the Amity Coliseum.

"General! It's good to see you, sir," Colonel Ironwood said as Argent stepped out of the Carrier. The hangar was expectedly busy, with security staff and construction workers arriving and leaving continuously. "Construction to the right wing began today, and we've already received a new shipment of inmates to be accommodated. Will you be overseeing the operations today?"

"Not today," said Argent. "I was told the core would require maintenance today. As I am the only one who has been granted permission to enter the engine room…"

The young colonel gave a courteous bow. "Understood, General," he said solemnly. "I'll trust you with the rest. I've been called back to headquarters for the rest of today." With that, he walked into the aircraft his superior had arrived in, turning and giving a salute as the door closed behind him.

 _He's a good man,_ Argent thought to himself as the Carrier left the hangar. _Hopefully he never has to bear the same burden as I._ He began making his way toward his destination.

Around every corner, there were prison cells filled with inmates. Many were asleep, but some grabbed the bars of their cells and hissed as the general of the Atlesian military passed by. A disturbing amount of them were former Huntsmen, and still wore their tattered former garb even in incarceration.

The general simply ignored all of them. As he walked, he could hear a loud explosion from outside as an approaching Griffon was blasted out of the sky by one of the Soulcage's multiple defense turrets. Eventually, he reached a bright red door with the words 'ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ALLOWED' emblazoned on it.

He pressed his thumb to the fingerprint scanner. A loud beep signaled that he had been approved for entry, and after looking either way, opened the door and entered into the core.

Immediately, Argent saw that he wasn't alone. There were at least five other men in the room, all of them clad in black-and-red garb, making them look almost Grimm-like. Two of them, standing taller than the rest, also wore masks of bone over their faces.

Argent wasn't fazed; he'd been informed ahead of time that they'd be present. Closing the door behind him, he made his way to the centre of the room, where a strange circular device lay half-finished. Wordlessly, one of the masked men was examining it, occasionally fitting small parts into their proper places. The general opened his Scroll. "Onyx," he said. "Everything appears to be going smoothly."

Headmaster Onyx's elderly face appeared on the screen. "Excellent. If we can maintain our schedule, then the project can be completed sooner than anticipated," he declared jovially. "For now, there is but one thing left to do. I'll leave it to you, of course. You are well-experienced with the procedure, are you not?"

'Of course, professor." Nodding, Argent closed the Scroll. Sighing heavily, the general looked downward. Below his feet, he knew, lay the engines that kept the complex afloat, burning through tonnes of gravity Dust in the process.

In addition to keeping it high in the sky, away from the clutches of most Grimm, they also served as a final failsafe. If there was ever a major breach, or if the security system detected that the facility had suffered severe enough damage, all the Dust down below would harden at once, increasing the force of gravity tenfold. The Soulcage would plummet down into the jaws of the Great Vortex and would be swallowed completely, long before even a single inmate - or anyone else - could hope to escape.

It was perfect. Ruthless, brutal, and efficient.

A heaviness in his heart, Argent sighed. _This is what I must do. For her,_ he told himself, and proceeded with his task…

* * *

 _Library, Beacon Academy_

Qrow lay on the couch, his legs stretched out onto the mahogany desk. Leaning back, he quietly took a sip of beer, flipping blankly through his Grimm Studies textbook. _Urgh...like I don't know all this shit already,_ he thought, not taking in a word of what he was reading.

For a change, the library was almost completely empty. Most of the students were either in the lounge, chatting excitedly about the upcoming dance, or helping set up the event in the auditorium. There was a major buzz in the air, and one could practically feel the anticipation of all the students and teachers involved.

 _What a bother._

Qrow Branwen, on the other hand, just found the whole thing to be an obnoxious affair. An amalgamation of flash and noise, and an opportunity for stuck-up students to show off their boyfriends and girlfriends. People always loved to make such a big deal out of little things to make themselves feel better.

He supposed Summer was looking forward to it. _Well good for her, I guess. Then again, it's not like she'd ever...ah, never mind._ It was annoying enough having to focus on their mission, but now Qrow had other problems he had to deal with. Not least of all was-

"Hey, what're you doing here, Birdy?"

Qrow spat out his drink. "Wh-" he sat up abruptly and turned around, only to find Tai standing behind him, looking surprised. He was holding something behind his back.

"Studying, huh?" The blonde warrior smiled sheepishly. "That's not like you at all. What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," he grumbled. "I figured this would be the only place in the whole school where I could actually get some peace and quiet this time of year. Don't ruin this for me, alright?"

Tai chuckled good-heartedly. "Aww, c'mon. You gotta get in the spirit of the occasion, Birdy! This'll be our last Vytal Festival, remember? We need to make the most of it! You can laze around on your ass any day of your life, but you'll never get another chance at this!"

"Personally, I don't find it particularly special," Qrow replied. "I sat out most of the dance last time, and that's what I'm going to do again. I've got better things to do with my time."

"Well...sure," Tai sighed hopelessly. "I guess I can't really blame you, huh? It's not like you've got any special someone to enjoy it with. I admit it's a lot less fun if you haven't asked anyone to dance with you."

"Special...someone...right." Qrow was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "So, uh - hey, Tai. What are _you_ doing in the library, anyway?"

"Oh...well, the thing is…" Tai shifted his feet awkwardly across the floor, looking downward in embarrassment. "I didn't expect to run into you, but I figured you of all people might know…" Qrow squinted suspiciously at his friend, noticing that he was holding something behind his back. _Oh no._ A feeling of dread was slowly seeping into him.

Tai grinned. "You, uh, wouldn't happen to know where Raven is, would you?"

 _And there it is._ "No," Qrow said bluntly.

"Come on, Birdy," Tai pleaded, immediately dropping all pretense of subtlety. "I mean, you know how popular she is with the guys. If I don't hurry up, I'll never get a chance to ask her out. I - I get that she's your sister, but -"

" _No._ Trust me, don't even bother," said Qrow. With how seriously Raven took their mission, and the aloofness she always showed, the concept of her dating anyone - let alone Taiyang Xiao Long - was incomprehensible to him. "It's for your own good, Blondie. She's not gonna say yes - to you or to anyone."

Tai didn't respond. Dejectedly, the young man walked over to a sofa seat opposite to Qrow. He lay the bouquet of flowers he'd been holding onto the floor beside him. There was about a minute of awkward silence between the two of them, and during that time Qrow couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his teammate.

"So," Qrow said, desperate to stop the awkwardness of the situation, "you...like Sis, huh?" His voice cracked a little as he spoke, somehow making things even worse.

Tai nodded. "Y-yeah...I've always lo...liked her since the first day of school. I-I don't expect she's ever thought that much of me, but she had me from the moment we met…Hah, I didn't really do a good job of hiding it, honestly."

"Hmph. That so? I just figured you were just being, well you - flirting with any girl that's completely out of your league," replied Qrow, genuinely surprised by Tai's sincere answer.

"Well, that's just what I wanted people to think," Tai said with an embarrassed smile. "Don't get me wrong, the flirting thing was a hundred percent genuine. But Raven's just...different, I guess. Strong, attractive, dignified...can totally kick your ass to the Forsaken and back if you get on her bad side...she's just amazing to me."

"...You think so, huh….?" Qrow muttered. People praising his sister wasn't anything new to him. Whether it was at school or back home in Valhalla, Raven was always the lucky one, the talented one, the one who was the best at everything. But while it pained him to admit it, the admiration in Tai's voice as he'd described how he felt about her seemed completely genuine.

"I guess I can't expect you to understand," Tai sighed, getting up and retrieving his flowers. "I mean, it's not like you've ever had a crush on anyone in your life." He turned away to leave the library. "Welp, if Raven's not here, I might have a better chance finding her in the training room or something. See ya, Birdy."

"Whaddya mean, I've never-" Qrow growled without thinking. He stopped himself before he could go any further. Tai was now staring at him in surprise. "Uh, yeah," he muttered quietly, putting his beer bottle up to his mouth to hide his embarrassment. "Well, good luck with that, pal...Hope it works out."

"...Heh. Thanks." Smiling, Tai left the room. Once he was gone, Qrow lay back down on the couch, taking another swig of beer. An unpleasant feeling was beginning to rise in his stomach, and he doubted it was because of the alcohol.

Qrow would never admit it willingly, but he really did admire Tai in many ways. It wasn't just because the young man was strong, either - though Qrow had begrudgingly accepted that a one-on-one duel between the two of them would likely result in a draw rather than Tai's utter defeat. Tai was...honest. _Really_ honest. He wasn't the type of 'honest' person who simply said what was on their mind even if people disliked it. It was something more - he felt like he was someone who was honest with himself, too. When you were talking with him, you knew for sure that the person in front of you was the real deal, and not just some front put up for other purposes.

Of course, Qrow didn't consider himself to be a 'dishonest' person. But then again, when he really thought about it, he'd been lying to people for most of his life. Same with Raven. _Our mission._ There was no malicious intent behind any of it, but they were lies all the same.

" _How can 'truth' be absolute, when all knowledge originates from something as imperfect as man? Every truth is a lie when seen from a different perspective. But it doesn't matter which one it is. They are both mankind's weapons, and they are far stronger than any stone or steel."_ A man had told him those words before. And like it or not, Qrow had taken them to heart.

 _I still don't like it, but when Tai says he likes Raven, I...I know he's telling the truth. Bein' honest about how you feel about others...that's kinda hard to come by these days…I would know._ That uncomfortable feeling was coming back. A thought popped into Qrow's head.

Was he...jealous of his friend?

* * *

 _Auditorium, Beacon Academy_

Summer's heart was racing.

It made no sense. Just two years ago, she'd come into this very room, wearing the exact same dress, and she'd been completely fine. _Well, I wouldn't say I was 'fine', even back then._ She'd been a bit nervous, perhaps, but that was because she was still unaccustomed to Beacon and its traditions.

Now everything was familiar to her. And even back then, the dance had gone smoothly. She could still fondly remember the chat she and Tai had had as they danced... _AAAAARRRRGH!_ Summer shook her head angrily. _S-Stop thinking about that! W-w-why is remembering that night making me so nervous?_

Breathing deeply, she stepped down the staircase to the dance floor, doing her best to not trip and make an absolute fool of herself. She blinked furiously, trying not to be blinded by the flashing lights that illuminated the entire auditorium. As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she was able to take in her surroundings and appreciate the music. Instead of blaring, ear-shattering, nigh-unintelligible rock songs, for this year's dance the soundtrack was composed mostly of classical folk music, with ukuleles, banjos and kazoos making up large parts of the melody, likely as a tribute to Vacuo's cultural fondness for those instruments. As Summer had never been a fan of hard rock, this was a change she welcomed with open arms and ears.

She looked around for her friends. With the dim lighting and the hundreds of students occupying the floor, it was difficult to make out specific faces. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and the flashing lights, she started to recognize people. She saw Regal choking on a cup of punch, while nearby Team JADE were bursting out in laughter, with David giggling and holding up a small bottle of something that was probably not grape juice. Heather and Herman were dancing together while chatting amicably, though Summer couldn't make out what they were saying. Torrence was camping out at the refreshment stand, trying all the different cupcakes and punches. Hastily moving her way through the crowds of students, Summer scanned her surroundings nervously, looking for a certain someone.

She found him standing in the corner of the auditorium, sipping some juice with an apprehensive look on his face. He'd patched up his old tuxedo, and it looked like it was absolutely made for him. "H-hey, Tai," she stammered, walking over to him.

"Oh, hey." Tai looked up at her and smiled. "That dress still looks amazing on you! You got anyone to dance with tonight? Bet lots of people asked you out, am I right?"

"A-ahhh, well, no," Summer admitted. "I guess I'm just not as popular as Raven is, haha...uh, though...I think...I mean, I'd like to, um..." To her dismay, she felt her tongue slowly tangle itself inside her mouth.

"You alright?" Tai asked.

She nodded awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I-I'm surprised to see you here, though...wh-what are you doing just hanging out in the corner?" Stammering, Summer desperately tried to build up the conversation. It was strange to see Tai standing away from the rest of the crowd, not immediately trying to become the centre of attention.

"Ah, yeah. I guess that's not like me, huh? I'm just, uh, waiting for s...well, I'm waiting," Tai said vaguely.

"O-oh, ok. That makes sense!" Summer let out an incredibly forced cough, feeling rather stiff. She realized it was probably from standing completely still for over a minute. Taking a deep breath, Summer forced herself to continue. "Um...Tai?"

"Hmm? Yeah, what is it?"

"W-well, I-I-I was just...wo...wonderi...uh…" _What's gotten into you, Summer? You've done this before! Just hurry up and say it!_ She looked up at Tai. "Umm...want to dance with me?" Her heart was thumping again.

Tai looked at her in surprise. "Oh. Is that it? Uh well, this is awkward. How do I put this…I already told someone else I'd dance with them tonight, and I definitely don't want to break that promise!"

"...Oh." Summer's voice was hollow. "Um, who was it?"

"Raven," replied Tai.

Failing to notice the crestfallen look on his teammate's face, the blonde warrior continued. "She was working out in the gym when I found her. I gave her a big bouquet of roses and asked her out, and honestly, I was scared shitless at first! I mean, come on, this is Rae we're talking about! For all I knew, her idea of 'rejecting' someone could be kicking them off the edge of Beacon Cliff after breaking their legs. But it actually went pretty well! Not only did she say yes immediately, but also…." He went on, but Summer didn't hear him.

"...don't get me wrong, though! I really appreciate the offer!" Tai smiled generously at her. "Don't worry, after we're done, if there's still some time left, I wouldn't mind a dance with you. Hope that's okay with you."

Summer nodded weakly. "N-no problem…" Turning her head to the side, she saw Raven had entered the dance floor, and was walking toward the two of them. She was wearing a sleeveless silk dress, scarlet lipstick, and an expensive-looking silver necklace. Her long dark hair was flowing majestically, down her shoulders and her back. More than a single male student was staring at her as she walked past. "Hey, Rae!" Tai waved to her energetically. "Alright, see you around, Summer!" With that, he ran to meet her.

 _...Well, maybe I should have expected that._ Letting out a huge, exasperated sigh (that she immediately regretted, as several students turned to look at her in surprise), Summer turned and walked, dejectedly, toward the benches. After a moment of thought, she paused by the refreshment stand to pour herself a glass of beer - she was legal now, after all. Sitting down heavily, she took a hearty chug of the drink...and spat it out immediately.

" _Bleghhh,"_ she gasped. More disapproving looks from nearby students. Sighing, Summer wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "That was gross," she muttered. How Qrow could not only stomach this concoction, but enjoy it, she would never understand. Placing her glass to the side, she stared ahead in depressed silence. She noted, with no small amount of bitterness, that the speakers were now playing the popular love song "Gold." _I guess I can't blame Tai for liking Raven more,_ she thought glumly. _...Still though!_ A flash of anger rose through her. _He could have been just...just a little bit more considerate!_ She sighed. _People can really be oblivious about other people's feelings, huh…_

"...What's up?" A familiar voice came from right beside her.

"H-huh?" Summer turned to find Qrow staring at her with a bored expression. As expected, he hadn't bothered changing into a formal suit. "Oh...hey there, Qrow." She smiled sheepishly. "Shouldn't you be trying to get a new high score in Grimm Hunter: Generations right about now?"

"I was _going_ to," Qrow grumbled. "But then I found out that Blondie was gonna be dancing with _my_ sister, and I damn well wasn't gonna let him have his way - not on my watch! ...Though," he admitted. "They seem to be doing pretty well." On the dance floor, Raven and Tai were doing a waltz, with a large crowd watching and applauding.

"Yeah…" Summer muttered, observing them as well.

Qrow shrugged nonchalantly. "Heh. From the look on your face, I think I've got a good idea of what happened. Ah well, at least we can be alone together, right?" He glanced at her expectantly.

Summer nodded. "Yep." She frowned at her partner. "I have to admit, I didn't think Raven would bother with going out with someone and all that...I mean, what about your mission?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Qrow replied. "Even Sis needs a break once in awhile. And hell, something like this might just be the best thing for her down the line...even if I fuckin' hate it," he said dryly.

Summer hadn't noticed it till now, but her nervousness and dejection were quickly fading away. She felt much more at ease.

Qrow stared at her half-empty glass of beer. "You didn't like it," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What's the problem if I don't?" she replied defensively. "Honestly, I've got no idea why you drink this stuff all the time! It's just bitter and tasteless! It's supposed to be bad for your health, too, so there's no benefit to drinking it!"

"Hey, now, you're not my mom," Qrow sighed. "If you can't appreciate it, at least let me- "

"No! I'm serious!" Summer snapped at him, trying to sound stern and assertive. "You'll just get yourself hurt someday because you were drinking too much! Haven't you heard any of the stories about what that stuff does to you? I refuse to let you ruin your own life like this!"

Qrow raised his arm, an exasperated grin on his face. "Okay, okay, calm the hell down. I see your point, though I still think you're making way too big a fuss out of it. Well, if it makes you happy, I'll hold off on the booze. For you, alright?"

"...A-ha...thanks." Summer smiled sheepishly; she hadn't expected him to actually agree. There was another moment of silence as the two of them sat there, watching the dancers. Summer found herself to be surprisingly comfortable. Eventually, she decided to change the subject.

"So, tomorrow's the big day, huh? I can't wait to see what Vacuo looks like."

"I'm not expecting much," Qrow said. "It's Vacuo, so as long as we don't get mugged more than three times a day, I'll consider my expectations met. Well, whatever. The tournament's the main attraction, anyway. Now, I don't say this much, but I'm feelin' pretty damn good about our chances this time."

"Same," said Summer, and meant it. "I hope the two of us will get to fight in the doubles round."

Qrow shrugged. "Ahh...right, I remember last tournament. We got voted out after we won that first match. Well, _I_ was," he added dryly. "You chose not to go to the doubles, and then you all turned on me when I said I wanted to go."

"S-sorry about that," Summer laughed.

"Hmph. Whatever. Anyway, wouldn't surprise me if Sis and Blondie decided to hog the spotlight yet again. Especially after all this shit." Qrow let out a heavy sigh, and leaned in toward Summer. "I guess it'd be rude of us to deny them their...'alone time', huh?"

Summer couldn't help but smile. The two of them let out short, bitter laughs, which were quickly lost in the music, as the excitement in the air persisted throughout the night.

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Oasis_**


	37. Oasis

**Chapter 12: Oasis**

 _Team STRQ's Dormitory, Beacon Academy_

The day of their departure had arrived, and as always, Summer made sure to wake up early.

Qrow and Tai were still fast asleep. Hearing the muffled sound of rushing water as she shook off her grogginess, Summer looked out of the window to see if it was raining, but the skies were clear, and the sun was only just coming up. She saw that Raven's bed was empty; the dark-haired Huntress was likely in the shower. Summer dropped down to the floor, letting out a silent yawn as she stretched her aching body.

She and Qrow had withdrawn to their dormitory an hour before Tai and Raven, but it had still been past midnight, and Summer had been stuffed full with all the food she'd eaten at the dance. Despite that, she now found, waking up, that she was starving. _The caf should already be open,_ Summer thought, deciding that she'd grab an early breakfast before her team's departure for Vacuo.

It was about five minutes later that she left the cafeteria, a carton of chocolate milk in one hand and a breakfast sandwich in the other. The taste of crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and toasted bread filled her mouth, sapping away the last of her drowsiness along with her hunger. Finishing her meal, she tossed the wrapper into a nearby garbage can.

As she walked down the empty corridors, attempting to get back to her room, she suddenly overheard a noise behind the corner. With a start, she realized that it was someone talking. Curious as to who else could be up so early, she she made her way toward it, as the person spoke again. "You're wasting your breath, old man. I'll handle things how I want to, ok?" _Who's that?_ The voice sounded familiar to her.

"You will, but I must warn you nonetheless." Another person was speaking now. "There is no room for error - particularly during the tournament. One moment of carelessness, and the enemy will find out." Though it was quiet enough that Summer had to focus all her effort to hear it, it was unmistakably Headmaster Ozpin's voice.

"Ok, ok. I'll make sure to be careful and all that. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back before anyone noti-" The owner of the other voice turned the corner, only to found themselves face to face with Summer. "Ack!"

"...Herman." Summer was surprised.

Herman Whitehead's look of panic quickly faded, as he promptly leaned back and let out a large, sleepy yawn, his usual lazy expression returning to his face. "O-oh...hey Summer. Fancy seeing you here, huh?"

"I've got to admit, you're the last person I'd expect to be up before seven," said Summer, smiling. "So, uh, what were you talking to the headmaster about?" She walked past him and looked down the hallway, but to her surprise, Ozpin was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, that? Ummm…" Herman scratched his messy light-blond hair. "Oz was, uh, kinda mad that I haven't kept up with my training and all that. Said I wouldn't be able to graduate 'nless I step it up. S-scary, huh?" He laughed nervously.

Summer frowned. "But...that doesn't sound like what he was sayi - "

"Oh geez, look at the time!" Interrupting her, Herman abruptly turned and began walking in the opposite direction. "Well, I guess it was nice seeing you, huh? I mean, we won't get to say bye before you guys head out, so, uh...good luck out there, alright?"

"Um, thanks, but...hey, wait!" Summer reached out to him, but Herman turned a corner and was quickly out of sight. _What was that all about?_

As she stood there in the corridor, confused, a loud _beep_ emanated from the nearby speakers, causing her to jump. The noise was followed by the voice of Professor Goodwitch: "Would all third and fourth year students bound for their missions in Vacuo head for the courtyard immediately. Your transportation will be arriving shortly."

"Uh oh," Summer muttered. Shaking her head, she turned and ran back in the direction of Team STRQ's dormitory.

* * *

 _The Wasteland, Kingdom of Vacuo_

"Whoa…" Fascinated, Summer pressed her face to the aircraft's window. High in the sky, the Atlesian Carrier had entered Vacuo's airspace. She had never seen such an enormous desert, such vast expanses of red and golden sand. Though they were in the central territory of the kingdom, there were very few tall, noteworthy buildings compared to Atlas or even Vale. It wasn't hard to see why many collectively referred to Vacuo's territory as the 'Wasteland'.

"You really find that interesting? Just looking out at some boring-ass desert?" Qrow asked from behind her.

Tai shrugged. "Ah, well. To each their own, right?"

"From a certain perspective, there is some beauty to be found in it," Raven conceded, sitting cross-leggedly in her seat while reading her book. "Particularly when faced with an entirely new experience. It find it understandable for Summer to feel the way she does."

"C'mon, Rae, do you always have to talk like you're doing some scientific investigation?" Tai laughed good-naturedly. Teasingly, he leaned in closer to her, grasping her hand lightly. Next to him, Qrow let out a heavily audible sigh.

"If it's really so pretty, it'll probably look a hell of a lot better close up," he muttered, clutching his stomach in pain. "Ughh...anything to get off this nightmare of a ride."

Summer looked away from the window. Her teammates were sitting in the back corner of the airship. Team JADE sat all the way on the other end, with multiple rows of seats between the two teams. Neither JADE nor STRQ had spoken to the other for their entire flight.

"Ahh, this is so tiring," David Stone sighed, stretching out his arms. "C'mon Ed, let me lie down just for a moment, pleease?"

"Absolutely not," growled his partner, Edward Crown, who shared a seat with him. He was a tall, brown-haired young man, wearing a dark blue sash over his scarlet robe. "Find your own seat, lazy bum."

Sticking out his tongue, David tackled his partner out of their seat and promptly fell over on his back, stretching out his short body while breaking out into laughter. Cursing, Edward walked back over to him and forcefully sat on David's legs. The blonde boy yelped and flew off the seat like a bullet, crashing into the wall, before sliding down and landing spread-eagled on the floor. .

"Can you idiots stop making complete asses of yourselves for once?" Jin snapped at them. Beside him, his partner Augustus, a stocky, serious-looking boy wearing a plate of silver armour, suddenly looked up. "Looks like we're here," he announced.

"Hmm?" Summer turned back to the window, and for a moment she thought she must be dreaming. The vast expanse of desert had completely vanished, and in its place was a beautiful, pristine metropolis, and even from up above she could make out gorgeous, lush gardens, pristine buildings, and an enormous, fancy water fountain in what appeared to be a city square. And above it all, far above, the Amity Coliseum was hovering majestically in the sky.

"Wh-what the...?" She took a step back in surprise. "Um..where are we?"

"Uh, still in Vacuo?" Qrow said dryly.

"Well, to be more specific, we've now entered the oasis in the desert - quite literally," Raven added, walking over to her teammate. "The Oasis...the most technologically advanced city in all of Sanus...it's truly a marvel to view with your own eyes."

"It...sure is…" Summer vaguely recalled Heather mentioning an 'Oasis district' in the Kingdom of Vacuo.

The aircraft was beginning its descent now. As the tall buildings and beautiful scenery of the Oasis grew closer and closer, Summer found herself becoming even more fascinated than before. She certainly hadn't expected that such a remarkable city could exist in the middle of a barren desert.

Several minutes later, they landed at the airport. The two teams made their way out of the Carrier, upon which Qrow immediately made a beeline for the nearest trash can, hand over his mouth. "Whoa…" Summer murmured, taking in the sights of the city. It really was even more gorgeous up close; it was like she'd stepped into paradise itself. "I can't believe something like this exists in Vacuo."

"Well, to be perfectly fair, the people of Vacuo didn't build it," Raven said, briefly glancing at where her brother was currently disposing of his breakfast. "The construction of the Oasis was a joint effort between Mistral and Atlas - which was still called Mantle back then - as an apology to Vacuo for the Great War. That certainly explains why the city appears both so futuristic and so artistic at the same time."

Tai nodded. "Right, I remember now...it was somewhere in this area where the last battle of the War was fought, right? Where Vale and Vacuo teamed up and beat the crap out of the Mistral-Mantle Alliance once and for all. Hmm..." He stared at the great, expansive structures of the Oasis,a small frown forming on his face. "Kinda hard to look at all this and think about something as awful as war, huh? Well, beside all that, this place really is gorgeous."

"I think it's just an eyesore," Jin spoke up all of a sudden. He and his team walked past Summer and her friends without flashing a look at them. "C'mon, let's ditch these guys. Those bandit losers aren't gonna beat themselves up." The four of them broke out into a run for the city's downtown.

"Someone's a killjoy," Tai muttered.

Summer nodded, though she felt that in a way, Jin did have a point. The dazzling extravagance of the Oasis definitely stood out like a sore thumb in comparison to the dry, barren desert that comprised most of the Wasteland. It was so beautiful one could argue that it didn't really 'belong' in Vacuo.

"Well then," she said to her teammates. "Let's go have a look around."

* * *

 _Oasis, Kingdom of Vacuo_

"Hmm-hmm-hmmm…" Summer hummed to herself as she looked over a map of the area on her Scroll. Team STRQ's work - helping with maintenance of the Soulcage- wouldn't begin until later in the day, so they'd decided to tour the city in the meantime. The team had split into pairs - given what had happened the last time she'd gone out alone, Summer had decided to have someone accompany her this time.

"...Anyfing elsh good?" Qrow asked, his mouth full of strawberry & mint ice cream. In one hand he held his ice cream cone, and in the other he was clutching a shopping bag containing a brand new gaming console and an exclusive, early-release copy of the latest _Remnant Fantasy._ He'd volunteered to go with Summer before Tai could get the opportunity to ask if he and Raven could be alone.

"I'm looking," Summer said, feeling annoyed. "And please don't talk with your mouth full...and don't spend all our Lien on expensive junk," she finished firmly.

Qrow shook his head in disappointment. "C'mon, it's not junk - it's a collector's item. Besides, you got any idea how hard it is to get into this place? I hear only the richest of the rich are allowed to live in the Oasis - it costs, like, five million Lien just to get a damn apartment! Once the Vytal Festival's over, we'll never get to come back again."

"...Sure." Summer wasn't convinced. If anything, what Qrow had just said meant that he most certainly should not be blowing his savings on absurdly overpriced merchandise. As she was internally expressing her disapproval, the two of them passed by a large fashion store, the _Mocha Monroe_. Casting a brief glance at it, Summer wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of the expensive-looking clothes.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Hey, wait a minute. Isn't that-" Without finishing, he quickly made her way into the store. "H-hey, what the hell?" Qrow yelled, following after her.

Summer burst through the doors, and ran over to the nightgown aisle near the window, where a familiar figure was looking through the wares. "Latte!" Summer called out to him. "It _is_ you! Long time no see!"

"Hmm?" Latte Adel turned around, his brown eyes widening in pleasant surprise at the sight of his old friends. "Qrow! Summer!" he grinned, exchanging a high-five with Qrow as he approached them. "Well, this is a nice surprise! Didn't expect to see either of you here! You both decided to show up early for the festival?"

"Kinda," replied Qrow. He explained to Latte that Team STRQ had taken an assignment in Vacuo so they could visit the festival grounds ahead of time.

Latte laughed. "Nice, nice! The ladies and I had the same idea. It sure was nice of Professor Thane to have the Vytal Festival take place in the Oasis this year, even if the residents weren't so happy about normal folk being allowed in their special space."

"Well, I sure can't imagine they like having peasants like us just wandering around the streets like this," Qrow grinned, glancing around the store, which contains racks upon racks of an enormous variety of every kind of fancy suits and dresses imaginable. "And what are you doin' out here by yourself, Latte?"

"Same as you guys." Latte gestured meaningfully at Qrow's bag. "Shopping. Though don't get me wrong, I wouldn't say I'm a 'peasant', considering my family practically owns this little store chain. That's why _I_ get exclusive discounts - and why I'll be able to give Isa that dress she wanted on our next date."

Summer was surprised. "Oh, are you two a couple now? I mean, I guess you did seem kind of close…"

"Haha, that's right! Isa's great, especially when you really get to know her...hmm. Where's the other half of your team, by the way?" Latte's eyes widened, and he raised his eyebrows. "Oh, hey. Could it be that they're also t-"

" _No!"_ Summer and Qrow responded simultaneously, with more than a little indignation.

Latte threw his hands up and sighed. "Touchy subject for you guys, huh? Alright, I guess I won't pry. Hmm, although…" Leaning in, he glanced over both of them in turn, a fascinated look in his eyes. He began to nod slowly. "Hmmm. Actually, yeah...This _could_ work out…"

"What the hell is goin' on in that mind of yours, Latte Adel?" Qrow grumbled.

"Forget it," he smiled. "Anyway, I got an idea. I've been in the city for a few days already, and I visited Vacuo last year too, so how about I give you guys a little tour?" Seeing no problem with Latte's suggestion, Summer and Qrow gladly accepted.

For the next hour or so, the three of them made their way around the Oasis, taking in all the various landmarks and sites. There was a twenty-story hotel constructed entirely out of stained glass, which looked gorgeous and lovingly crafted but made Summer question how anyone could be insane enough to want to stay there. They took a brief tour of a bizarre laboratory that was entirely suspended in the air by a single small elevator shaft, and served as an enormous air conditioner that spared the city from the scorching heat of the desert. And though Qrow seemed indifferent to them, Summer found the giant palm trees with artificial, mechanical trunks that were still able to grow organic leaves and coconuts to be especially beautiful.

Eventually, Latte stopped leading them around in a circle and brought the tour straight to the central square of the city. In the centre of it all stood a large water fountain, with a statue depicting a tall, imposing figure carved out in marble. On his person he carried a cape, a sword, a staff and a royal crown. "This is...the Warrior King?" Summer murmured, staring at it in awe.

"Yep," said Latte. "This is the exact place where the last battle of the Great War was fought, right over where the old Dust mines used to be. Onyx always loves to rattle on about the War, so most of the people at Atlas have gotten the entire history course memorized, bless the old man."

"Oh yeah, your headmaster fought in the Great War, right? I always forget how old that guy is," Qrow said.

"Well if you believe him, Headmaster Onyx didn't just 'fight' in the War," Latte replied, "He was the general for Mantle's army, and he fought the Warrior King one-on-one during the final battle. He lost, but the Warrior was so impressed by his skills that he spared him and the rest of his army. Onyx prefers to emphasize the latter part, of course."

This was the first that Summer had heard about that. "That's pretty amazing if it's true," she admitted. "Though I'm not very well-versed in war stories."

"Hey, I understand," Latte smiled. "It's all really morbid stuff when you actually think about again, if nothing else, learning about all this really makes you glad that we live in a time of pe-"

He was cut off by the sound of an explosion from somewhere nearby. Multiple people could be heard screaming in the distance. "What was that?" he yelled.

Summer gripped her bow, a feeling of panic rising in her. "Let's go see what's wrong!" she said, and she, along with Qrow and Latte, ran in the direction of the sound.

They found the source of the explosion at the main Huntsman guild on the edge of the city. The building was heavily damaged, with plumes of smoke rising from the top floor. Several black-clad men wielding rifles stepped out the door, yelling obscenities at nearby civilians, who were fleeing.

"Oh no," Latte muttered. "Those guys are from the Brotherhood. Can't they stop causing trouble for everyone, just for once?" Gritting his teeth, he aimed Pyroburst Cannon at the gunmen, firing an explosive shell that blew them back into the guildhouse. "Come on," he yelled at Qrow and Summer, before running in with the two of them close behind.

The three Huntsmen made their way through the smoking building, encountering hordes of gunmen wearing the Brotherhood of Gehenna's uniform. Summer shot them down with arrows while Qrow incapacitated several of them at once with strikes from his sword. Luckily, none of them put up much of a fight, since the Huntsmen had to be careful not to destroy what was left of the guild in the process.

Eventually, they reached the top floor. The desks had been overturned, and various forms of machinery lay in ruins around the room. David, Augustus and Edward lay unconscious on the floor, by the feet of an unfamiliar figure. A giant of a man, clad from head-to-toe in obsidian-black armour, was exchanging blows with Jin, who was wielding his beam sword. The young Huntsman was clearly outmatched, and as Summer entered the room, the giant swatted away Jin's weapon like a fly. He raised his fist to deal the final blow.

"No!" Summer quickly fired an arrow, which bounced harmlessly off the giant's armour, but caught his attention nonetheless. "...Oh?" The giant turned to look at the three new arrivals. Under the armour, his voice was gravelly, almost demonic. "A girl with silver eyes...you must be the one Brother mentioned."

"H-huh?" Summer stammered, terrified of this mysterious new enemy. _Who is this?_

Latte raised his weapon. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I guess you must be the leader of those Brotherhood folks we beat up on our way here. Just surrender and let us take you into custody, and it'll be easier for all of us."

The giant ignored him, and turned his gaze to Qrow. "So...you're here too? It's good to finally meet you, Qrow - though I had hoped I would be able to see Raven as well." Before Qrow could respond, a sinister dark aura began to surround the giant. "Just knowing that you two are in Vacuo has made staying in this Kingdom worth it. I am certain that fate will bring us together again."

"Looks like you're not going to surrender nicely." Latte fired his weapon. Three explosive shells impacted the giant's armour, and when the dust settled, he was still standing there, completely unmoved. The dark aura enveloped him completely, and he was gone. "Damn! He escaped."

Jin was staggering to his feet. "Urghh…" he muttered, glancing reluctantly at Summer. "I didn't need your he-" he stopped himself. "... _Thanks,_ " he spat, as if he were uttering the worst profanity imaginable.

"Who the hell was that?" Qrow growled. "And how'd he know my name?"

Latte lowered Pyroburst Cannon. "Well, we can worry about that problem later. Let's just take care of all the unconscious henchmen we left back there - just in time for your shift, too."

Sure enough, a squad of police, clad in Atlesian military armour, soon arrived and took the men from the Brotherhood into custody. After making sure Jin and his team were alright, Summer, Qrow and Latte boarded an airship that took them to the Soulcage.

"These arrests sure are becoming a lot more frequent," Latte noted, reclining in his seat. "I'm sure the people working on the Soulcage are happy about that, but at the same time no one wants to deal with criminals when the Vytal Festival's coming right up. We all know how that feels, don't we?"

"Tell me about it," Qrow muttered, crossing his arms. "Speaking of the festival, I bet you guys are in the tournament again, aren't you?"

Latte grinned. "You bet we are. And this time, Team LIME's not gonna go down so easily! _Especially_ if we go up against you again! ...Although," he muttered. "There is one thing I'm a tad worried about. That Team PLSM group. That 'ace in the hole' of Shade Academy."

"You've heard of them, too?" Summer asked.

"I met one of them on a mission last year," he explained. "She's...well, she was definitely a strange kind of person. I actually don't know anything else about their team or why so many people seem to think they're such a threat, but...that's sort of the scary part, you know? It seems like no one knows _anything_ about these guys."

"That _is_ pretty weird," Qrow admitted. "Hey Latte, if you're stayin' in Vacuo until the festival, you can count on us to help you deal with the Brotherhood - when we're on break, that is. I think Team JADE need all the help they can get."

"Sounds good," said Latte. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that guy in the armour, too. In the meantime, let's all just enjoy our time here, eh? Good times like these don't last forever, after all…"

* * *

 _SEVERAL WEEKS LATER_

 _Amity Coliseum_

"With all that out of the way...welcome, one and all, to the Vytal Festival Tournament!"

The first day of the tournament had finally arrived. Standing on the arena, Summer took a deep breath as she desperately attempted to appear calm and composed. Beside her, Raven was staring ahead intently, hand on the end of her katana. Tai was waving at the cheering crowd, a big grin on his face. Qrow had his arms crossed, trying to look indifferent while clearly being tense.

As Summer looked through the crowds in the distance, trying to see where her friends were sitting, the voice of Shade Academy's Professor Aran Lawrence rang through the speakers once more. "I hope you're all ready for the first of many exciting matches that we'll be seeing over the course of the next few days! Now let's begin the battle between Team STRQ of Beacon and Team AZRE of Haven!"

More cheers. With the cries of encouragement from the crowd ringing in her ears, Summer grabbed her bow, staring down the opposing team. "Okay," she said. "Let's do this, team."

"This'll be a piece of cake," Qrow grinned. "Time to show everyone what we're made of!" Tai whooped.

"Three...two...one... _GO!"_ With that, the match had begun.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Ace in the Hole**_


	38. Ace In The Hole

**A/N: There probably won't be a chapter next week. School stuff and all that, plus I'm experimenting with some new story ideas. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, this one's pretty long.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Ace in the Hole**

"Three...two...one...BEGIN!"

As the loud buzz of the speakers signified the beginning of the match, Raven and Tai immediately rushed forward to engage Team AZRE. The team of Haven second-years were said to be quite talented and well-coordinated, and they'd been on the list of opponents Team STRQ had decided to watch out for.

Qrow, meanwhile, transformed into his bird form and flew above the opposing team, intending to catch them off guard. Summer hastily took several steps back, aiming her bow. The biomes selected for this particular match were the Ocean and Lava environments, which didn't leave much option for cover. Keeping her distance from the other combatants, Summer carefully waited until her teammates were out of her firing line, before firing off an explosive arrow.

 _BOOM!_ The projectile detonated harmlessly against the shield of Athena Minver, AZRE's leader, who leapt in front of her partner, Zephyr Hale, to block the attack. As the arrow impacted her shield, it set off a momentary, blinding spark of electricity. Lowering the shield, Athena looked over Summer for a moment before turning around. "Take out the archer!" she yelled at Zephyr, before running to help out her other teammates.

Grinning, Zephyr retrieved a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and put them on with a flourish. A pair of metallic wings emerged from the mechanism on his back, and he launched himself into the air to avoid Summer's next arrow.

 _Well that's new._ Summer desperately fired several more arrows at him, but it was much harder to hit a mobile target. A pair of miniature turrets sprouted from the ends of Zephyr's wings, firing two beams of ice Dust at her. Summer rolled out of the way and began running, briefly turning to aim another arrow.

She saw Zephyr gliding through the air, chasing after her. From behind, a black bird was catching up to him. Once he was directly above him, Qrow transformed back into a human and dragged Zephyr down into the ocean, and a brief struggle ensued underwater.

Qrow emerged from the water first, gasping for air while holding his sword in a defensive position. Zephyr burst out after him, using the edges of his wings as blades. As the two of them continued their scuffle, Summer joined in, using Phoenix Heart's blades to turn the tides of the battle.

"Such splendid teamwork from Miss Rose and Mr. Branwen!" Professor Lawrence commented from the speakers. "Let us see how Mr. Hale puts up under the pressure!"

Now outnumbered two on one, Zephyr was beginning to struggle. He fired another ice beam from his wing turrets, which Qrow blocked with his sword. Grunting, he retaliated with a heavy swing, which landed directly in Zephyr's chest. The Huntsman staggered back with a pained, desperate grunt, before turning and flying back into the air, intending to rejoin his teammates on the other side of the arena.

"No you don't!" Qrow growled, turning Reaper's Gambit into its cannon form and firing at Zephyr as he fled. Noticing that the winged Huntsman's movement was significantly more sluggish than before, Summer aimed her bow, carefully predicting his flight path. He turned back in midair for a brief second, and Summer took the opportunity. She let the arrow loose.

The projectile struck Zephyr's right wing, sending him spiraling out of control. Letting out a panicked yelp, he struggled to stay midair for a few seconds, but it only caused him to veer farther off his original path as he flew gracelessly off the edge of the arena. The buzzing from the speaker signified his elimination from the match, followed by roars and applause from the audience.

"My goodness! And with that, we have our first elimination of the round! But can AZRE turn their fortunes around? Let us find out!" The professor was yelling, prompting more cheers.

Qrow turned to Summer with a grin on his face. "Not bad, partner," he chuckled. "C'mon, let's go help-" Before he could finish, he was cut off by a large hatchet that struck him in the side and sent him flying several feet back.

Clutching his other tomahawk, Elmer Dorado, a tanned, amber-haired young man was running toward them. Swiftly striking Summer aside, knocking her to the ground in surprise, he made his way to Qrow, retrieved his weapon, and continued his assault before the dark-haired Huntsman could recover.

"Guh!" Qrow snarled, raising his sword to parry Elmer's next strike. One of his hatchets glowed blue, laced on the edges with ice Dust, while the other was red with fire Dust. As the two men began to meet each other blow for blow, Summer picked herself up and took a step toward them.

Seeing her, Qrow shook his head. "I've got this guy!" He yelled. "Go help Sis and Blondie - they could use some extra help!" Grunting from the effort, he pushed Elmer away with his greatsword.

Over in the Lava biome of the arena, Raven parried a direct strike from Athena's lance, before attempting to retaliate with a lunge from Shadow Mobius. Athena raised her shield, and the crimson katana struck the golden plate with tremendous force. The recoil caused the shield to glow with electricity, and a wave of lightning struck Raven, sending her reeling back in pain.

"Hrahh!" Tai leapt toward Athena, his fist clenched, but was intercepted by a powerful kick that knocked him halfway across the biome, causing him to land flat on his face in the hard, hot ground.

"Ugh…" he groaned, picking himself up. On instinct, he raised his fists in a defensive position, just in time to block an incoming chakram that ricocheted off his shoulders and returned to the hand of its owner, Ramona Chrisler, a perky bighorn Faunus.

Grinning, Ramona threw both her chakrams at Tai, and before Tai could attempt to guard, the two thrown weapons ignited in flames. The blond Huntsman let his guard down in surprise, and as a result both of them struck him directly in the face, briefly searing his skin.

Yelling in pain, Tai's eyes briefly watered as he clumsily rolled away from Ramona. To counter her flaming weaponry, he activated the ice Dust in his own body, encasing his arms in ice. He charged at his opponent, knocking away Ramona's next chakram with ease, before engaging her in close-range combat.

While they fought, Raven's battle with Athena continued. As the Haven Huntress raised her shield yet again, an arrow struck its edge from the other side of the arena, setting off more sparks. As Athena looked in the direction of the shot, distracted, Raven took her chance and struck her opponent in the abdomen with her katana, taking off a good chunk of Aura.

"Need some help?" Summer called out, running over to her friend, bow still raised. She fired a few more arrows in Athena's general direction, disorienting her enough for Raven to land several hits on her without fear of striking her shield. Eventually, a solid strike from Shadow Mobius sent Athena's shield flying out of her hand. Thinking quickly, Summer grabbed it and flung the shield away with all her might, launching it out of the arena.

With Athena's strongest piece of defense gone, Summer and Raven began to attack more aggressively, but their opponent was still formidable even with only her electrified spear. Parrying a strike with her blade, Summer flinched as electricity flowed through her body. A yell from somewhere nearby caused her to briefly turn around. On the other side of the Lava biome, Ramona had Tai pinned to an lava plume that was directly behind him.

"Owowow…" Tai was muttering, the fire singing the ends of his hair. "You are so gonna pay for this," he snarled, trying to throw her over him into the lava. Laughing, Ramona simply somersaulted away from him. In midair, she brandished her chakrams with a flourish, before attaching them to the bottoms of her boots. Landing, she began zipping around the arena with her makeshift rollerblades, throwing several fiery kicks at Tai, who kept trying to land punches of his own, but repeatedly missed.

Finally, as Ramona leapt at him for another series of kicks, he managed to grab her by the legs and perform a powerful suplex. "Ugh!" she grunted. As she tried to get up, an arrow landed in the ground by her feet, which exploded into earth Dust that encased her boots in hardened mud. "Huh?" Tai looked to the side, where he saw Summer with her bow drawn, giving him an encouraging nod.

"Hey, thanks Summer!" Tai said, grinning. He turned back to a now immobilized Ramona, pulling back his fist before striking her with a devastating punch, sending her flying straight into the lava plume. Another loud buzz signaled Ramona's elimination.

"Hell yeah!" Tai laughed energetically, pumping his fist into the air as the audience cheered his name.

Over in the Ocean biome, Qrow knocked Elmer's tomahawk out of his left hand with a swing of his greatsword. As the tanned warrior ran to retrieve his weapon, Qrow leapt on him with all his might, and the impact of the tackle knocked them both into the water.

 _Not this again,_ Qrow thought angrily, blindly striking his opponent while struggling to get his head above water. As he finally managed to take a gasping breath, he saw that Summer and Raven's teamwork had backed Athena out of the Lava area and into the ocean. Seeing the sparks of electricity coming from her spear, an idea popped into Qrow's head.

"Hey!" he yelled, as loud as he could. "Sis! Summer! Over here!" Raven spotted him, and seemed to immediately understand. With a sudden burst of energy, she aggressively pushed Athena closer to the water, grabbing the end of her spear. The two women struggled briefly, glaring daggers at each other, before Raven wrested control and drove the electric weapon into the ocean with a forceful push.

Quickly, Qrow transformed into his bird form and flew away from the water. Looking down, he saw the entire ocean light up with electricity as Elmer screamed in pain, which was quickly followed by a third elimination buzz.

"A-ahh…" Athena stared blankly at the still-electrified water, realizing what had happened. Before she could react, Raven gave her a hard shove, before dealing the final blow to her with a decisive stab from Shadow Mobius. The audience exploded into frenzied cheering as the fourth and final elimination buzz rang out.

"Well, that concludes the match!" Professor Lawrence called out happily. "Though AZRE put up quite the fight, it seems it wasn't enough to match STRQ and their masterful teamwork! Please, give it up for the first victors of this year's tournament! There will be plenty more to come!"

Summer sighed in relief as the crowd's cheers grew to absurd, deafening volumes. "We did it!" she panted. She felt pride rushing through her; it had been a while since a battle had gotten her so exhilarated.

"And no casualties this time!" Tai added, stretching out his muscles. "Heh, those guys weren't half bad. Still, I've got a really good feeling about this! There's no way we're gonna lose!" He bumped his fists together in excitement.

"Just don't jinx us, Blondie," Qrow said.

"We will now adjourn for a short break - but first, let us see what will be our next match!" The randomizer screen popped up on the large holographic projection above the arena. The first team to be selected was…

"Team JADE, huh?" Qrow muttered, flashing a disapproving glare at Jin's face as it popped into view along with his teammates. "Well, this'll be interesting, at least."

Raven smiled. "It's been awhile since I've seen them fight...who knows? They may very well surprise us."

"And their opponents will be...oh my." Professor Lawrence's voice slowed to a crawl as four unfamiliar faces showed up below Team JADE. Their names were written under their portraits: _Psycha Osmov, Locke Silverstein, Storm Columbus, Moss Creedo._ "Our next battle will be between Team JADE of Beacon and Team PLSM, from home here at Shade!"

Rather than cheers, the audience went utterly quiet at the sound of that second name. Multiple loud whispers could be heard from several parts of the coliseum. It seems that the rumours about the mysterious Team PLSM had spread farther than Summer was aware of.

"Hmm…" Qrow glanced at the screen curiously. "So these guys finally show their faces, huh? Well, at least we'll get an idea of their fighting style. It's always a bitch to fight an enemy you know nothin' about."

"Well, we won't be fighting them today!" Tai added cheerfully. "Now, how about we have ourselves a celebratory meal at the outdoor buffet?"

* * *

 _Festival Grounds, Oasis_

"So," said Tai, swallowing a mouthful of falafel, "What's the plan going ahead, team?"

Team STRQ were sitting at a table in the central square of the Oasis, which had been converted into the main fairgrounds for the Vytal Festival. For the duration of the tournament, prices for meals had been halved, which was necessary for most visitors to even afford any of it. And to Summer's dismay, the expensive Vacuo delicacies that they were eating were still very much expensive.

"Our first priority will be deciding which two of us will be participating in the doubles," Raven said, reaching into her bowl of kushari with her chopsticks. "Well, one of us. Naturally, I will be the other."

"Real humble, sis," Qrow grumbled, sipping a glass of water. "...but yeah, you're right," he admitted grudgingly.

"This'll be a hard decision…" said Summer anxiously, only half-listening. She was in the middle of texting Autumn to tell her about their victory - though the little girl likely already knew, since she would have been at home, watching the match on TV. Summer smiled as she imagined Autumn jumping up and down on the couch, cheering for her.

Coming back to reality, she said, "Either of you could go, I guess…" She felt bad that two of them were going to be left out no matter who they chose to advance to the doubles. She always thought the concept seemed rather backwards in a tournament that was meant to promote teamwork. Still, the rules were the rules. "Tai and Qrow both did really well. I mean, you both got a knockout each!"

Qrow sighed. "Not without help," he scowled. "Seriously thought I was gonna lose when fighting that AZRE guy. And technically, I didn't even knock him out either."

"Well, if this means you're giving the position over to me, I'll gladly accept - though uh, yeah, I guess I needed Summer's help too," Tai said with his usual grin. "Hey wait," he said suddenly, turning to Summer. "There's no reason you can't be in the doubles, either. Maybe you can go!"

"Me?" Summer asked, surprised.

Tai nodded encouragingly at her. "I mean, yeah. You really helped us out during that match. And I've seen you training - you're a great fighter _and_ a great support. You're just as good as either of us!"

Summer frowned. "Hmm…" _He's right. I honestly didn't consider the idea that I could go to the doubles round...do I really want to though?_ She was certainly confident in how much she'd improved, but was it enough to take on some of Remnant's strongest Huntsmen? She doubted it. And surely Qrow, Raven's brother, or Tai, her partner, would be far more suited to fighting alongside the dark Huntress. _I...I'm not so sure..._

"Excuse me!" Someone's voice came from beside her. "You dropped this, good lady."

Summer turned to see a young, handsome swordsman with brown hair, holding out her wallet to her with an amicable smile on his face. "O-oh, thanks!" she stammered, grabbing it out of his hands and putting it back in her purse.

"You should be more careful. The world is a dangerous place for lovely young maidens like yourself," he said, still smiling. "But you'll always have people like me to protect you, so have no fear!" The boy winked at her, flashing his perfect white teeth.

"...Uh. Thanks, I guess." Summer turned back to her meal. _Well, he's a bit dramatic…_

"H-hey, wait!" The boy said frantically, glancing at her in surprise. "Come on, show me a little more respect that, lady! Don't just ignore me!" His bravado had instantly dissipated.

"Locke! There you are!" A girl's voice came from nearby. Looking the direction of the voice, Summer saw three people - a proud-looking girl with a long pink ponytail, a muscular young man wearing large black gauntlets, and a short, dark-haired girl with a green beret and bandages over her left eye - walking over to them. "You wandering off and flirting with random peasants is really getting on my nerves," the pink-haired girl snapped. "How many times do I have to te-oh." She stopped abruptly as she caught a glimpse of Summer.

"Um…?" Summer asked nervously.

"You must be the silver-eyed girl I've heard about," the girl muttered. "Hmph. You don't look like anything special to me." Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking away briskly, grabbing Locke by the collar and dragging him away with her.

"Wait just a minute," said Raven quietly, but loud enough that the new arrivals could hear her. "You four were on the randomization board earlier today. You're Team PLSM, aren't you?"

 _...What?_ Summer, Tai and Qrow stared at them in surprise. These four were the mysterious team that was said to be top contenders for the grand prize? Other than the buff young man with the gauntlets, none of them looked particularly menacing.

"That's right, we are," said the girl disdainfully. "I'm Psycha, and these buffoons are Locke, Storm and Moss." She pointed to her teammates as she said their names. "And sorry that I don't remember your names, but maybe I'll see you in the arena later. Not that it's likely, if your joke of a match earlier was any indication."

Qrow glared at Psycha. "And I guess this means _you_ and your team could do so much better?" he snarled. "I sure as hell didn't expect the mysterious Team PLSM to look so damn wimpy."

"Hey, who you callin' wimps?" Storm growled in a low, guttural voice. "Ya think we can't kick your asses, huh? How 'bout y'fight us right now, huh?" His gauntlets were giving off sparks.

"Calm down," said Moss, leaning upward to pat him on the back. "We'll defeat them when the time comes...or when it doesn't." Her soft voice was barely audible.

Psycha was still staring down Summer, an irritated scowl now forming on her disdainful face. "Headmaster Thane said to look out for 'the silver-eyed girl and her team'. Unbelievable. Looking at you, I'm insulted that he even _thought_ you might be a threat to me." She spat in Summer's face. "Save yourself the trouble, wench, and just go back to whatever peasant farm you came from."

Tai stood up, his face flashing in anger. "Hey, lay off you rotten bitch!" he yelled at her. "You've got no right to talk to Summer like that!" The tattoos on his arms were beginning to glow red with energy.

Locke stepped up to him. His smile had turned into an unpleasant smirk. He drew a silver sword from the scabbard on his back. "Do you want to fight us here? In public, surrounded by innocents?" he asked mockingly. "Any scum who would do that is a villain in my eyes. I'll gladly cut you all down."

The two teams were now all glaring intensely at one another. Around them, other people were turning around, noticing the tension between them. Some of them began whispering to one another.

Thankfully, the situation was resolved by the buzz of the loudspeakers. "The next match will commence in ten minutes!" Professor Lawrence announced. "Would Team PLSM and Team JADE please head to the auditorium for their match!"

"Hmph." Locke put his sword away. "We'll let you off this time, ne'er-do-wells."

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Psycha turned around and began walking away, signaling for her team to join her. After a few moments, she paused, and tilted her head back towards Team STRQ. "You should all pay attention to this next match," she said. "Maybe then you'll see just how outclassed you really are." With that, they continued walking away without a word.

"Well," said Qrow. "Looks like Latte was right. They sure are...something."

Tai clenched his fists in anger. "You know what? Forget the grand prize," he snarled. "From now on, we're gonna keep winning, so we can beat those assholes in the arena! They're gonna pay for talking down to us!"

"...Summer? Are you alright?" Raven asked her friend, noticing her silence.

"..." Summer held her head down. Just for a moment, the way that girl Psycha had talked down to her had brought back memories of her old school, and the kids who had bullied, belittled and scorned her. "...Yeah," she said quietly. "I'm fine."

Shovelling the last morsel of taro stew into her mouth, Summer stood up. "Come on," she said to her team. "Let's get to the stadium before the match starts."

* * *

 _Amity Coliseum_

The stadium was full once again. "Welcome back, everyone!" the professor called out. "It's time for our next match, and it seems like it will be quite a spectacle! We've just seen how formidable the students at Beacon can be, and Team PLSM are more than ready to show why they're in the top running for the championship!" The audience cheered.

On the arena, the randomizer had selected the Urban and Forest biomes for the match. Team JADE stood side by side, quietly whispering battle strategies to one another. Summer had wondered if they might have to sit out of the tournament after the injuries they'd sustained during the attack on the Huntsman's Guild, but it seemed they'd made a full recovery.

Team PLSM were opposite them, all four of them appearing completely relaxed and confident. Up in the audience, Summer noticed that Psycha was now carrying something on her shoulder. It was some sort of small mechanical bird. "What's that?" she asked her teammates. "Is that bird thing her weapon?"

"Guess we'll find out," said Qrow.

"Whatever the case, let's be sure to take notes watching them," Tai muttered. "I don't care if these guys really are as good as they say. No way in hell are we losing to them!"

"Well, I think we have all waited long enough," declared Lawrence over the speaker, and the audience was instantly hushed in anticipation. "Three...two...one...and let the match begin!"

As the buzzer rang, Psycha immediately turned and ran into one of the buildings in the Urban district. Moss dashed forward with blinding speed, heading for the forest in order to seek cover. Quickly, Jin leapt at her, attempting to intercept the young sniper.

"Hrahh! No harming the lady!" Locke leapt in his way, blocking his scepter with his sword. Snarling, Jin pushed him backward. "Augustus!" he yelled.

Hearing his call, Augustus Clover ran over to him, his massive convex shield held out in front of him. He rammed it into Locke, knocking him away. Letting out an irritated yelp, Locke held his blade against his opponent's shield. "You think that will be enough, do you?" he said. "Well if you think you can take down a true hero of justice like me, you've got another thing co-"

He was interrupted by Augustus roughly shoving him away, From his free hand, he then held out his lance, which opened up at the ends to reveal a large cannon. He fired an explosive round that struck Locke and sent him collapsing, back first, onto the ground.

 _BUZZ._ Augustus and Jin both looked up at the scoreboard in surprise. Locke's Aura had just been depleted below acceptable levels. He'd been eliminated.

Rather than cheering, the audience immediately fell into utter, baffled silence. After a second, confused whispers could be heard among the crowds.

"...What?" Tai looked bewildered. Summer shared his sentiment. She was rather certain that that had been the fastest elimination in Vytal Tournament history. And if anything, she'd have expected Jin's team to suffer a casualty first.

Now looking back in the arena, Summer noticed Psycha standing atop a building, looking down upon the battlefield without a word. The robot bird was still perched on her shoulder.

Over in the forest, David hid behind a tall tree listening for sounds. Quietly, he picked up a small stick by his feet and threw it as loudly as he could. Immediately, he heard a sniper shot ring out from nearby, barely missing its target. "Hmm…" David muttered, peeking out from the side. Sure enough, he caught a split-second glimpse of someone up in a nearby tree, hiding back behind cover.

"Heh. Got you," David grinned. He pulled out his weapon from his pocket - a homemade slingshot, with a high-velocity brace to maximize the impact of shots. Loading a Dust crystal into the catapult, he pulled back and fired in the direction of the sniper.

There was an explosion, and he heard Moss' cry of surprise as she darted, in a panic, away into the trees. Tracking her movements, he climbed up the tree and leapt through the forest in pursuit of her. David slung several more shots at her, swiftly dodging her bullets as he closed in on her.

"Hyah!" He flung himself forward into the tree in front of him, tackling Moss out of her cover. As they landed, the sniper wriggled out of his grasp, turning her sniper rifle into a long, thin dagger, resembling a stinger. She ran at him, yelling, making awkward stabbing motions with her weapon. David noted that the girl didn't seem very experienced with it. He easily sidestepped her and kicked her in the chest, knocking her several feet back.

"Uh-ughh…" Moss groaned softly, getting back up. She had her hand on the bandage over her left eye, as if trying to remove it. She glared at David, only for her good eye to widen in surprise as she saw that his slingshot was loaded again.

The projectile flew from the weapon and struck her, sending her tiny body flying in the air. A second shot knocked Moss clean out of the arena, as she slammed into the battlefield's boundary before sliding down to the ground. Another buzz quickly followed.

The confused whispers in the audience were growing more audible. Team STRQ stared at the arena in disbelief. It was Qrow broke the silence, saying: "Hey uh, is it just me, or do these guys kind of...suck?"

"This must be some sort of joke," said Raven flatly, not even hiding her disgust.

Summer had to agree. It had been barely a minute into the match and already the legendary Team PLSM were down two of their members. Sure, she supposed Jin and his team were more capable than she'd dare give them credit for, but this performance was simply pitiful. _I guess they really were just all talk, huh…_

Meanwhile, Psycha was still standing atop the building, still as a statue. Finally, she turned her head slightly, towards the bird on her shoulder, and whispered something to it. The winged construct lifted itself off her shoulder and began flying around the arena.

"Hah-ha! Take _this!_ " Storm growled, launching a concentrated ball of electricity from his right gauntlet. Facing off against the three other members of JADE, the brutish young man was putting up a much better fight than his comrades. The blade of a double-edged guillotine axe flew into his stomach, but he seemed barely fazed. "Grahhh!" he yelled, as lightning enveloped his body.

Swinging around the guillotine like a mace and chain, Edward Crown aimed another strike at him, but this time Storm simply swatted it away with his gauntlets. As his own weapon flew back towards him, Edward retracted the guillotine's chain, turning it back into a normal axe.

Jin and Augustus were now teaming up on Storm, forcing him back. Jin slammed his scepter into the ground, activating his Semblance. The earth around Storm rose up to form rock walls, trapping the Huntsman inside. Cautiously, Jin aimed his scepter at the wall, ready to fire a beam of wind Dust. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he turned to Augustus, who nodded gravely. The two boys quickly leapt to the side as a massive beam of electric energy burst through the wall, singeing the ground underneath.

Storm lumbered out, panting heavily with his arms held forward. Sparks were emanating from his smoking gauntlets. "Mmph! Think you're clever with your lil' tricks, huh?" he growled. He clenched his fists as the sparks exploded into large bursts of electricity, surrounding his body. Jin fired several energy beams at him, but they disintegrated when they touched the lightning.

" _GRA-AAA-AAAAGHHHHHHH!"_ Storm yelled. His hair began to stand on end from all the lightning his gauntlets were generating. The audience looked on in anticipation, waiting to see what impressive attack he was about to unleash. Perhaps Team PLSM could still redeem themselves.

Suddenly, Storm's body stiffened, and his yell was cut short abruptly as his electricity fizzled out. Smoke rising from his orifices, he slumped over and collapsed, face-first, into the ground. There was the loud ring of the buzzer.

The sudden disappearance of the audience's excitement was almost tangible. Lying on the ground, Storm was chuckling. "H-hah...whoops...up to you now, Psycha…"

"Ah…" said Professor Lawrence awkwardly. "It seems Mr. Columbus has just eliminated himself. He seems to have forgotten that being able to amplify electricity as your Semblance does not make you _immune_ to it."

By this point, the audience had completely lost their patience. Boos and jeers could be heard from every part of the stadium. "What the hell was that?" "'Strongest team', my ass!" "I shoulda known Shade Academy were a bunch of liars!" Various insults were being thrown at Team PLSM now.

"Hmph! Aren't all of you forgetting someone?" A snobbish female voice rang out. It was Psycha, still perched atop the building.

"Ah, that's right," said Lawrence. "There is still one more member of PLSM still standing. Perhaps Psycha can still turn the tides?"

Psycha glanced downward at her teammates, as the three of them dragged themselves to the waiting area. "Pathetic," she said. "I give you three a chance to win this on your own, but it seems you really can't do anything without me. Well, fine. I guess I have no choice now."

Jin looked up at her, scowling. "You're the one who just stood up there like a bitch!" he yelled. "How about you get down here and fight us, coward?"

Psycha ignored him. She held out her hand, and a strange green glow began to emanate from it. Up in the air, the same glow could be seen. With a start, Summer realized it was the strange bird she'd had earlier.

"This school - no, this world - has been content with mediocrity for far too long," Psycha said. "None of you mongrels would survive for a minute out in the wild. The way the Huntsmen are now, we're all doomed. But that all ends right now!" She clenched her fist. "Take a good look, everyone. This is what a _real_ Huntress can do!"

A sudden bright burst of energy drew everyone's attention to the upper limit of the arena. The robot bird was being bathed in a glow of green Aura. As it was enveloped completely, Summer could hear its cry grow from a chirp to an ear-piercing screech.

When the Aura faded, the bird was still there...but now it had grown to an enormous size. The mechanical avian was now twice the size of a Nevermore, and as it flapped its steel wings, the trees below swayed, some falling over entirely. Team JADE stumbled backward, struggling to retain their balance. Multiple people in the audience screamed.

"5 percent output should be enough!" Psycha yelled, directing her voice at the bird. "Come on, Bubble! Annihilate these cretins for me!"

 _SCREEEEEEE!_ The flying monstrosity, Bubble, opened its beak wide. From inside, bright flames were gathering, as its mouth began glowing with energy. Team JADE simply stood where they were, petrified with terror, as an enormous laser beam burst from the bird's beak, striking the arena and obliterating the ground below. The entire stadium was enveloped with a blinding glow. Summer covered her ears at the deafening sound of the explosion.

When the light cleared, the arena was covered in smoke. As it faded away, Summer saw that the forest had been reduced to cinders, and the buildings had all collapsed. Jin and his team were sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Psycha was standing next to them, completely unharmed, Her bird was perched happily on her shoulder, now small again.

"...Well." The professor took a moment to collect himself. "I-it appears that...the victor of the match goes to Team PLSM. Could someone please go check to see that Team JADE are alright?"

Psycha threw her head back and laughed, before strutting off to rejoin her teammates. In the audience, rather than cheers, all that could be heard were loud whispers and angry yells of "That's unfair!" and "Wh-what was that?!"

Team STRQ merely stared blankly at the carnage. "Was that their secret?" Tai muttered. "Those bastards...they're not even good at fighting! Not even close! They only won because of...what _did_ that Psycha girl do? Was that her Semblance?"

Raven of all people appeared to be baffled as well. "I'm...not certain, myself," she said quietly. "This certainly...changes things."

"How the hell is anyone supposed to beat her when she's got that thing on her side?" Qrow growled. "Talk about bullshit!"

Summer sat there quietly for a few seconds. Finally, she spoke up. "I want to go to the doubles," she said, surprising her teammates.

"Huh? What?" Qrow asked.

"I said, I want to move on to the doubles round," Summer repeated. She wasn't sure what, but seeing that match had single-handedly convinced her that she needed to face off against Team PLSM herself.

It had been one thing for them to belittle her and her friends. But they themselves clearly had no skill, relying instead on a single cheap trick to win. These people were the worst type of bullies, far more than Jin had ever been.

 _They're no Huntsmen,_ she thought. _And_ _I want to make sure they learn that._


	39. Know Your Enemies

**Chapter 14: Know Your Enemies**

 _Sahrra Airport, Oasis_

As Summer stepped out of the terminal, she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Team HTHR standing near the restrooms. They were talking to each other excitedly, likely about the rather unprecedented match that had just occurred. "Hey Heather," she greeted her friend, running over to them with Tai, Raven and Qrow right behind her.

"Hello, Summer." Heather smiled. "You did really well during your match today. It looks the boys and I have a lot to live up to if we want to win this year."

"Aw, c'mon, don't say that. We're all on the same side, aren't we?" Tai replied.

Regal shrugged apathetically. "'Win'. Heh. Yeah, right. As if any of us are gonna be winning with those monsters in the competition," he muttered bitterly.

Herman sighed. "Seriously. Guess we might as well give up now, huh?"

"Yeah, are we not gonna talk about how much bullshit that was?" said Qrow angrily. "The giant bird that girl used - is that even allowed in the tournament?"

"...There's no rule strictly forbidding it," Heather admitted. "Unfortunately, that sort of tactic is perfectly legal."

Qrow stamped his foot in frustration. "Well, dammit. Can't believe any team would have something like that up their sleeve - basically an instant win button. It's fucking ridiculous."

"Still, the rules are the rules," said Raven, though she didn't seem very happy about it. "I suppose all we can do - all anyone can do - is find some way around it. There must be some hole in their strategy than we can exploit."

"If you can call that a strategy," Tai muttered.

"I could have respected that if they had actually had skills of their own," said Torrence gruffly, "but their performance was just disgraceful."

Heather nodded, narrowing her brow suspiciously. "...Yes, it really was. Say, what was their leader's name again…?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure we'll find a way," said Summer, conviction in her voice. Though her teammates had been reluctant at first, eventually they'd all decided, as a group, to send Summer and Raven to the doubles round. Qrow had asked if she was sure about five times before he'd glumly given up his spot. "We'll definitely beat Team PLSM, one way or another."

"...Speaking of which," said Tai, nodding his head to the right. Sure enough, Psycha, along with Locke, Storm and Moss, was making her way towards the Beacon students. Several people stopped to stare at her or whisper to their companions as she passed.

"Well now," said Psycha smugly. "I suppose that was a very valuable lesson for all of you. If you're conspiring together to try figuring out how to defeat us, you should know that you're all wasting your time. Or have you not learned-."

"We've learned something, all right," Tai spat. "You're barely even Huntsmen. If it weren't for that bird of yours, I bet you wouldn't even have made it to the tournament!"

"But we did. So what's your point, huh?" asked Storm aggressively, looking ready to punch someone right then and there. His hair began to stand up, and electricity emanated from his gauntlets.

Tension was filling the area they were standing in. Everyone was waiting for the first blow to be thrown. Suddenly, Heather broke the silence. "So I was right," she said. "Psycha Osmov, former student of Dusk Academy. I didn't think it would be you until I saw that match."

"...Is that so?" Psycha scowled. "Sure, I went to that peasants' school. So what? I remember you, Heather Fox - that obnoxious know-it-all brat who was always the best at everything, even though I was a year older. How's it feel knowing you're going to lose to me, hmm?"

"Oh, that's right. We were in the same class because you'd been held back a year on account of your failing grades," said Heather coolly. "And the only reason you graduated at all was because of your father's money."

"...What?" Summer was taken aback by what Heather was saying. Psycha and her team were glaring furiously at the purple-haired Huntress.

"And that's not all," Heather continued. "I'd heard, back in our first year at Beacon, that a group of students in Shade Academy had failed their initiation. It wasn't until months later that they'd been allowed to form a team, and Shade's headmaster, Thane, got quite a bit of backlash accusing him of accepting bribery. That was you and your friends, wasn't it?"

"C-c'mon!" Locke protested, waving his hands around in denial. "We're the best Huntsmen in the world - how could we ever fail that super-duper easy initiation?"

Raven nodded her head slowly. "Hmm, I did hear about that back then. That would explain why I'd never heard of you people in the records. After all, you wouldn't be officially recognized as Huntsmen of Shade."

"...It doesn't matter if we're not 'official'," Moss protested.

"Yeah!" Storm yelled indignantly. "So what if we flunked that stupid test? We're still gonna win!"

"Ahhaha, b-but we didn't actually fail, alright?" Locke said desperately.

"Can you idiots shut the _hell_ up?" Psycha snapped.

Summer watched the four of them, feeling her disgust for Team PLSM grow even stronger. So these people weren't even real Huntsmen at all. They were cheaters! And yet they still felt qualified to talk down to everyone they met.

"...Hmph. Say what you want about us. It won't change a damn thing. As long as I have Bubble, there's no one who can stop me," said Psycha, looking visibly shaken.

"That's the big metal bird you used, right?" Summer asked. "Where did you even get it?"

"Not your business," she replied brusquely.

"I assume her father made it for her - Professor Osmov. I've heard he's quite the famous inventor here in Vacuo," said Heather. "He greatly values his craft - likely more than his own daughter, if today is any indication."

"Why you little bitch…." snarled Psycha, before stopping herself. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "You think you know everything, don't you? But I can tell that you're just as much of a screw-up as you say I am!"

Heather frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean! You kept skipping classes in your last year back at Dusk. They said you got sick with some big illness that kept you in bed for entire weeks. And when you _were_ in class you were either having a migraine or throwing up. It was pathetic! Your grades were ruined, and I'm sure you would have flunked out…" Psycha flashed her a venomous grin, intending to make her next words sting. "...But I suppose the teachers took pity on you since your mom had just died."

Heather recoiled. "I-"

Psycha threw her head back and laughed. "Well, I'll be seeing you all later...in the arena, if you're unlucky enough." Her composure had completely returned. Without waiting for Heather to respond, she turned and walked away haughtily, gesturing for her teammates to follow.

"..." Watching them leave, Teams STRQ and HTHR were quiet.

Finally, Qrow spoke. "What a bunch of fucking tools," he said, summing up the thoughts of everyone present.

"Yeah. You can say that again." Herman was glaring at the place where Team PLSM had stood. He looked uncharacteristically agitated, and his fists were clenched, shaking in anger. "...Hey. Heather. C'mon, let's head to Shade, alright? Our match is tomorrow, and we could use some last-minute training." His voice didn't have an ounce of drowsiness in it.

"...Okay." Heather nodded, still looking shaken. She turned to Summer and her team. "We'll see you later, alright?" She turned and walked away.

"Uh, Heather?" Regal asked hesitantly as the four of them wandered into the crowd. "What did that Psycha girl mean by…?"

Torrence shook his head. "Forget it, Regal. I doubt she wants to talk about it."

"I guess now we know what we're in for, huh?" Tai muttered as Team HTHR walked out of sight. "We might as well start hitting the gym again for this...though I'm starting to think it might not help at this point."

"Nothing else we can do, right?" said Qrow.

Raven crossed her arms thoughtfully. "Hmm, well if it's training you're thinking of, I know a place outside of the city that might be of use to us. Then, when the evening comes, we can return for dinner if we all make it out."

Summer nodded. Anything to take Psycha off her mind was welcome at this point. "Alright. I'm down...wait." She frowned. "What do you mean by 'if'?"

* * *

 _Ruins of Solomon, Solito Desert_

Sitting in the sand under the scorching-hot sun, Summer shifted uncomfortably as her rear began to heat up. In her hands she held a large fishing pole, it's curved hook hanging over a large sand pit. "I don't know if this was a good idea…" she muttered to herself. Somewhere off in the distance, her teammates were sitting in different locations, holding out their own fishing poles.

Team STRQ had followed Raven's directions and left the Oasis district, taking a long, tiring trek across the desert plains of Vacuo that had lasted at least an hour. The difference between the comfort of Oasis and the harsh conditions of the rest of the Kingdom had become quite apparent as they walked.

After nearly collapsing several times and Qrow's constant complaints of " _Are we there yet?!"_ , the four of them had reached some strange ruins, which appeared to be that of a large temple. Plates of obsidian, silver, and other unidentifiable metals were strewn in the sand. Several of the structures that were still standing had scriptures of some ancient language, which were being slowly weathered away by the eons. There was something hauntingly beautiful about it all.

"Whoa. What is this place?" Tai asked, looking at the ruins in awe.

"The Ruins of Solomon - the remains of some civilization long past, or so they say," explained Raven. "The area has largely been abandoned in recent years because of Grimm infestations, but Huntsmen sometimes make their way here for some free exercise."

"How many come back?" Qrow asked darkly.

"Most of them," his sister replied. And that had been that.

The main attraction of the ruins was that a nest of rare, dangerous Grimm was located somewhere underneath the sand, and could be lured out with bait. Considering the Grimm's lack of need for feeding, it was debatable how effective that method really was. Still, Team STRQ had split up to try taking down the Grimm by themselves.

"Hm-hm-hmmm…" Summer hummed to herself, trying to ease her boredom. Nothing had been biting for half an hour now, and she starting to think this was all a wild goose chase. _Maybe we should just rejoin Heather's team and do some sparring…_ As that thought entered her mind, she felt a sudden tug on her string. "Huh?" She glanced up.

A grotesque, long black limb had grasped onto the hook of her fishing rod, and after a moment began dragging it, along with Summer, into the pit. Yelling in panic, she pulled on her rod in an attempt to pull the rod back. A loud, demonic hiss was coming from somewhere within the whirlpool of sand. With a screech, the monster gave up its fight and emerged fully, revealing itself as a large antlion-like Grimm, with multiple black pincer-like limbs.

Instinctively, Summer yelped in fear. She threw the fishing pole to the side, before aiming her bow and firing an explosive arrow into the Grimm's mouth. The monster opened its gaping maw and swallowed the projectile in curiosity, before recoiling in pain as it detonated inside its body. Screeching, it lunged at her with its two sharp mandibles, its maw dripping with saliva.

Summer leapt out of the way, transforming her bow into its blade form. She swung her blade at the beast's left mandible, but it bounced harmlessly off the limb. _Damn!_ She thought, frustrated. Glancing at the creature, she saw that the joints where the mandibles branched off from the maw looked more fragile than the rest of the body. She turned her weapon back into a bow and began firing arrows at them.

Directly in front of her, one of the monster's gnarly limbs jutted out of the sand, striking her in the abdomen. "Ugh!" Summer yelled, stumbling back several paces. Several more limbs began emerging from the sand, trying to hit her. Summer desperately ran away from the beast, trying to get out the limbs' range, while occasionally turning to fire more arrows.

A long limb burst out of the ground ahead of her, flying toward her face. Yelling, Summer ducked, turning Phoenix Heart into blades and slicing the limb in two. A crimson redness enveloped the area where it had been cut, as it disintegrated into nothing.

As the antlion screamed in pain, it opened its maw wide, and Summer took the opportunity to fill it with more explosive arrows from her bow. One arrow struck its right mandible, causing the savage limb to hang loosely from the creature's mouth. Changing to gunblade form, Summer fired a stream of pellets from the barrel in her blade, impacting the brittle joint and severing the mandible. The monster screamed again as a grisly black fluid spilled from where its limb had once been.

As the beast lunged at her again, Summer leapt up and grabbed onto its remaining mandible, hanging on precariously. The antlion lifted its head back up, and she saw the ground getting farther and farther away. "Ah-agh…" she stammered. Grunting, she made her way across the limb as the creature swung its head around to shake her off. Finally, she reached the joint, right next to its gaping wide mouth. At the angle she was at, one wrong move would cause her to fall directly into its maw.

"Hrahh!" Brushing away her fear, Summer plunged her blade directly into the joint, releasing a stream of black fluid. As the beast writhed in agony, Summer nearly lost her grip. Finally, with a grunt, she retracted the blade with enough force to sever the limb, timing her fall to land onto the beast itself.

Quickly, she gripped both of her swords and drove them into its head. She held onto them, keeping her balance as the monster's movements continued. From their barrels, she fired rounds directly into where its skull would be. The antlion screeched as it excreted the black fluid from its maw. Its struggles slowly became weaker, and once she felt it was safe enough, Summer drew her blades out of the antlion's body and leapt off. She turned her weapon into a bow midair and fired an explosive arrow at the ground to break her fall.

As Summer landed she turned back, watching as the antlion Grimm sank back into the vortex of sand, its body already fading away as it descended into the abyss _. Whew._ Summer took a moment to regain her composure, before appreciating the fact that she'd just taken down a large Grimm all by herself. _And I didn't mess up the landing this time,_ she thought proudly.

"Hey, nice job Summer!" Tai was waving at her from near the temple entrance. The Branwen twins were with him. Eagerly, Summer grabbed her fishing pole and ran over to him. "I saw you finish that sucker off - you did great!" he said.

"Thanks," Summer smiled. "What about you guys? Any luck with the fishing?"

"Nah," grumbled Qrow. "We couldn't get any of 'em to bite. So we just all gave up and decided we might as well explore this place while we can. And of course the moment we come looking for you, you've taken down one on your own."

"Now now, Brother," said Raven. "Cheer up. Perhaps we'll find some more Grimm inside that we can fight."

The grand doors to the ruined structure opened with a simple push. Cautiously, the four Huntsmen made their way inside. The interior turned out to be little better than the outside - rubble was strewn everywhere, and bizarre-looking artifacts lay in ruins on the floor. They found a large chamber that looked like it had once been used for religious sermons, with rows of benches lined up neatly and covered in dust and cobwebs, and a wrecked slab of marble that had once been a pulpit stood at the back of the room.

"...Creepy," Qrow muttered, and Summer nodded in agreement. It was like walking through one of those 'ghost towns' that people always talked about on TV. At one point in history, this place had been crawling with life and activity. It was more than a little eerie to think about.

A loud *bump* from the upper floor caught everyone's attention. The four of them glanced suspiciously at the ceiling. "The hell was that?" Qrow asked.

"Could be Grimm," suggested Tai. "Either way, only one way to find out!" He rushed for the staircase, and his teammates ran after him. On the second floor, there were several more nondescript rooms, some of which had old tapestries lying torn and faded on the floor. Wandering around for a few minutes, the team found a spacious room with large, stained-glass windows that were still intact after eons of isolation. The windows depicted two deity-like figures, one coloured black and the other white, with a halo of light surrounding them. They were standing above a mass of people reaching up to them in apparent worship.

Occupying the centre of the room was a strange cylindrical mechanism. A man, appearing to be in his late fifties, was examining the large device. "So they existed even out here in the desert," he muttered to himself, fascinated. "Well, I suppose it might not have been a desert back then…"

Suddenly, he seemed to notice he wasn't alone. "Hm? Who's there?" The man turned around, and Summer saw that he was a dark-haired, middle-aged man, with scarlet eyes and large, round spectacles. He held a wooden cane in his hands. "...Ah."

Qrow blinked, looking at the man in disbelief. "U...Uncle Luka?!" he gasped. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Surprised, Summer stared blankly at the short, middle-aged figure. This man was Luka? She certainly hadn't expected him to look so...weak.

"Qrow! Raven! It's been too long!" Luka Branwen smiled amicably, limping toward them excitedly. "I was planning on doing some research in Vacuo while the Oasis was open to the public, but I didn't think I'd run into you two here! How have you been?"

Reaching out his arms, he warmly embraced his niece and nephew. "...We've been doing just fine, Uncle," said Raven with a smile on her face, patting Luka on the back. "We won our first match of the tournament earlier this morning."

"The first of many, I would hope," said Luka proudly. "Ah, well, I was busy with work, so I couldn't watch it all, but I knew you two would win! And these are your teammates, hmm?" He nodded at Tai and Summer.

"Hey! Nice to meet you," Tai grinned, waving at him. "Name's Taiyang Xiao Long. I'm Raven's b-"

"He's Sis' partner," Qrow finished for him. "And that girl in the white hood with the bow is my partner, Summer." He pointed at her. "We told you about them, right?"

"Indeed you did," Luka confirmed. "I can tell from the looks of you two that you are both fine Huntsmen. To be honest, I was a little skeptical when Raven announced she and Qrow were going to enroll in Beacon. Not that I doubted their skills - quite the contrary, I feared no one at the Academy would be able to match up to them. Thankfully, it seems my fears were unfounded."

Tai laughed uncomfortably at Luka's praise, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Ahaha...aww hey, thanks Mr. B!"

Luka turned back toward the strange mechanism. "Hmm...anyway," he murmured. "I wanted to investigate the Ruins of Solomon because I thought it might hold the key to my next archeological discovery. Judging from this, it seems my hunch was right."

"What were you looking for?" Summer asked.

"This." Luka gestured toward the device. Walking closer to get a better look, Summer saw a spherical socket in the center of the machine, where it seemed something was meant to placed. There were a myriad of wires and circuits jutting out from the edges, which looked more technological than anything else in the temple. "A sort of ritual device that was used in ancient times...though their purpose is unknown, researchers have found machines of similar structures all around Remnant. I've heard they may well date all the way back to the Age of the Two Brothers!"

"The Two Brothers..." Summer murmured. "Wait, you mean those two gods from those fairy tales? The ones that created humanity and the Grimm?"

"...You can't possibly think they're real," said Raven incredulously.

"Well, all fairy tales started from somewhere - and some of them may well be real," her uncle replied. "You've all seen the scriptures recorded on the temple walls, haven't you? It's a bit hard to read after all these years, but translated into the modern language, one can piece part of the story together. It seems like these ruins were one of many temples humanity built to worship the Brother of Light, back when the two gods still lived amongst men. Whatever this machine was, it appears to be some sort of...conduit through which people would receive the god's' gifts." Luka paused. "I presume you know of the Forsaken Lands?"

The four of them nodded. "I thought so. Well, if these texts can be taken at face value, this mysterious 'magic' that people from the Forsaken use may well have found their origin from the Two Brothers. During the ancient times, the people who were able to fully utilize these gifts - whether it be advanced technology, knowledge, or inhuman abilities - formed a grand Kingdom of their own, separate from the rest of the world." Now rambling excitedly, the archeologist seemed to be talking to himself, ignoring everyone else. "There's no scripture hinting at what became of that civilization, or if it even still exists...but it was known as Eden."

"Eden, huh?" said Tai. "Well, that sounds interesting…" he frowned. "But uh, Mister - um, or is it Professor Branwen-?"

"Luka is fine," he replied graciously.

"Um, Luka, how'd you even get all the way out here to these ruins? Without getting eaten up by the antlion Grimm outside?"

"...Grimm? Here?" Luka's eyes widened in surprise. "I-I certainly didn't know anything about that. I simply walked all the way here. Goodness, it seems I caught a lucky break. I'll have to hire an escort for myself next time."

Summer laughed nervously. "Y-you really should count your blessings. How about we escort you back to the city? We'll keep you safe from the monsters, don't you worry."

"That sounds like a splendid idea," Luka smiled. "My research here is done for the day, so I'll gladly accept your offer."

With that, the four Huntsmen, surrounding the old archeologist, made their way out of the Ruins of Solomon, keeping guard while watching for approaching Grimm. Thankfully, they managed to reach the central grounds of the desert after only a couple encounters with some Creeps and Beowolves. They made their way towards the city in the distance, walking as fast as they could without accidentally stepping into a stray sand pit. Along the way, Luka happily chatted with Qrow and Raven, asking about how they were doing in school, and sharing stories about them with their teammates.

As they walked, Summer felt her doubt in Raven grow. She had made her uncle out to be some horrible monster who had destroyed her family and hometown, someone she was dedicating her life to secretly getting revenge on. But there was nothing about Luka Branwen that suggested any sort of malice. He just seemed like a nice, studious person.

It was sundown by the time they entered the Oasis. "I can't thank you all enough for your help," said Luka as they reached the entrance to their hotel. "Qrow, Raven, if you ever want to catch up some more, you can find me at the museum over in the East End. Ha, I'm formally recognized as one of their staff, can you believe it?" He smiled sheepishly.

"We will," said Raven politely. "Well, good evening, uncle. I hope to see you again soon." She turned and walked into the hotel, with Qrow and Tai behind her. Summer was about to follow them, but she heard Luka say, "Er, wait. Could I speak to you for a moment, young lady?"

"Huh?" Summer turned around. "Um, what is it?"

"Well, it's just...how do I put this…?" Luka muttered, looking down awkwardly. "You...you have silver eyes, don't you?"

Summer frowned. "My...eyes? Y-yeah, they're silver, which I know is pretty rare…"

"Rare. I suppose you can say that. Has…" the archeologist frowned at her through his glasses. "Has your headmaster, er, told you yet? About what your eyes actually are…?"

"My eyes are what?" Summer asked, confused. "What does Ozpin have to do with this?"

Luka shook his head quickly. "O-oh, then it seems he hasn'- ahem! Never mind that. That was all I wanted to ask you, honestly. Though…" he smiled at her. "You really do seem like a capable warrior, Miss Rose. I was speaking with Argent the other day, and he seemed to heap quite a bit of praise on you."

"...Argent - you mean General Fox? Is he in Vacuo?" Summer was surprised.

"Certainly. With the construction of the Soulcage, collaborations between Vacuo and Atlas are more frequent than they've ever been. It's no surprise the general himself would show up to witness the festival. Especially with his own daughter participating - who I've heard you're on good terms with. Although…" his voice dropped, and his gaze turned uncertain. "What?" Summer asked curiously.

"Honestly, I wasn't sure if old Argent would actually agree to come back to Vacuo after what happened. Granted, it's been four years, but still…" Luka sighed. "Oh, you didn't know? Four years ago, his wife sadly...passed away...while visiting the Kingdom."

Summer stared at him in surprise. Suddenly, Psycha's words from earlier came back into her mind. _The teachers took pity on you since your mom had just died,_ she'd said to Heather.

"Terrible tragedy, it was," Luka continued quietly. "Argent and his wife, Briar, came to Vacuo to visit their daughter, who was attending Dusk Academy at the time. Unfortunately, the same day they arrived, a thief broke into Shade, killing several staff members in an attempt to steal...something. Briar, a Huntress herself, tried to stop them, but she tragically lost her life. The assassin managed to escape, and was never seen again."

"Th-that's awful," Summer muttered. She suddenly thought about General Fox, and how distraught he must have felt about his daughter also becoming a Huntress. He might have feared that she would meet her mother's fate.

"It really was," Luka sighed. "And the timing couldn't be worse - it happened barely a year after that disastrous Ouroboros Project fiasco, too. To think Argent would lose another loved one so soon aft-"

Suddenly, he stopped himself. "A-ahh," he muttered. "I-I might have said too much. My apologies, I really shouldn't reveal so much about my friend's life. It's a tad disrespectful of me." He hastily turned around and began limping away. "A-anyway, good night, Miss Rose. Perhaps we'll meet again."

"...Wait." Summer spoke the word without thinking. "Hmm? What is it?" Luka glanced back at her.

"..." Summer took a deep breath. _No turning back now, I guess._ "Have you, um, heard of a village called 'Valhalla' before?"

If she was hoping for some startled or telling reaction, she was swiftly disappointed. Luka simply blinked in surprise, and said: "Oh. I suppose Raven or Qrow told you about it, hmm?"

"Y-yeah. It was destroyed, wasn't it? And you all lost everyone and…"

"Yes, indeed we did." Luka closed his eyes solemnly. "I'm not surprised neither of them like to talk about that incident - it must bring back terrible memories. I remember my brother Thoron and all the others quite fondly, you see. And it was truly devastating to me when I knew that I'd lost them all forever."

 _If Raven is telling the truth, you were the one who killed them,_ Summer thought, but her bravery was gone now. She couldn't bring herself to question him further. Or was she afraid of the answers that she might receive?

"Anyway, I really must be on my way now. Good night, Miss Rose." Giving a courteous bow, Luka limped away. He stopped after a few paces, and turned his gaze toward the tall, sleek buildings in the distance.

"This city really is beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured. "And yet it was built among the ashes of the worst war Remnant had ever seen. People speak tales of gods, and of Grimm, but history has shown that the greatest and most terrible events have always come about through human effort alone. I find that very fascinating." With that, Luka turned the corner, moving out of her sight.

Summer stared ahead of her, blinking. " _..."_

Luka Branwen was...certainly nothing like what she'd expected him to be. And what exactly had he been talking about? Her silver eyes? Argent losing 'another loved one'? The 'Ouroboros Project'? _I've heard of that somewhere before…_

And then there was Ozpin. _What did he mean by that?_ she wondered. What in the world had the headmaster not told her…?

"Hey Summer! What's taking you so long?" Qrow's yell interrupted her thoughts. "C'mon, we're about to get some dinner!"

"O...okay!" Confused thoughts still swirling around in her head, Summer turned around and walked inside.


	40. Friendly Fire

**Chapter 15: Friendly Fire**

 _Outside Training Grounds, Shade Academy_

"Concentrate your power," Harriet Maroon advised, watching as her student slowly clenched and unclenched her fist, the green glow of her Aura enveloping her body. "If you simply let it all go to your head, one day it will be your downfall."

"Shut up," said Psycha. She was panting, sweat dripping down her brow as she glanced directly ahead of her, where Bubble stood perched on the ground. A s she clenched her fist, the mechanical bird slowly began to grow in size, until it was as big as a Creep. "There. See? I can do it myself."

"Your control over your Semblance is more consistent than before," the rabbit Faunus admitted. "But as of now, you can still only go directly to maximum size and back. It's very important that you use the full spectrum of your abilities."

Behind them, Psycha' teammates were watching the training session. "What's the point, huh?" Storm muttered. "All she needs is the biggest form and we can blow up anything in our way!"

Harriet shook her head tersely. "Such an attitude is incredibly close-minded. Versatility is the key to utilizing any power. And remember," she frowned at Pscyha. "That the size alteration is not your Semblance, it is the robot's. You simply take control of its mind and allow that power to be used."

"I know!" the young woman spat vindictively.

"What's up with that, anyway?" Locke asked curiously. "I thought only living beings could use a Semblance. How does a robot have one - or even have Aura?"

"Through the efforts of Professors Osmov and Polendina to build the first synthetic life form - and with some aid from _our_ cause," Harriet replied. "Now then, Psycha. Continue with your training, and not only will you win the tournament, but the Grandmaster will surely be pleased." She turned and walked away.

"...Why should we trust you?" Moss asked suspiciously as she walked past. "What do you get out of this?"

"Does it matter what I want? Look at what my master has given you. Already you are far stronger than you once were. Is that not what you all wanted? To not be looked down upon as fools?" She gave the dwarvish girl an almost compassionate smile. "Soon, you won't have to close your eyes to the world anymore."

"...Oh...that's true…" Moss murmured uncertainly.

Harriet left Team PLSM there, and made her way into the Academy's main building. As she entered, she glanced at the television screen that was hanging on the wall. It showed the Amity Coliseum, and the sounds of crowds cheering could be heard as Professor Lawrence declared the victors of the current match.

" _And with that astounding victory, Team HTHR moves on to the doubles round! What an astounding display of teamwork by all of them!"_ In the centre of the screen, Heather and her teammates were smiling, waving at the applauding crowd. "..." Wordlessly, Harriet stared at the television.

"Oh, excuse me, lady, are you lost?" Startled, she turned her head and saw a janitor glancing at her in amicable concern. "If you're looking for the student dorms, they're down the hall, that way." She pointed in the direction behind Harriet.

"A-ah. Um, thank you, miss. I'll be sure to remember that." Harriet flashed her a timid smile, and walked away in the direction of the dorms. After a couple of minutes, she reached the room occupied by Team PLSM, and opened the door.

"...Well, that's great to hear. Y'know, Fenrir's already met them, too. Well actually, he said he only saw Qrow, but same idea." To Harriet's surprise, Rok was lounging around on one of the beds, his Scroll held up to his ear. Quietly, she pulled the door back and leaned in, listening in on what he was saying.

"Sure, sure. But don't you think this is all going _too_ well? I mean, I know we were supposed to go along with this stupid plan of theirs, but at this rate we're just gonna end up throwing ourselves down the shitter! The hell are we…" He paused, frowning as the person on the other end responded. "What, are you serious? Hmm, alright. I'll do as you say."

Rok turned off the Scroll. After a moment, he turned around, grinning mischievously. "Hey there, Harriet. Eavesdropping, huh? Isn't that more of a cat's thing than a bunny's?"

Harriet walked into the room. "And just what was that all about?" she asked coldly. "I can assume that when you said 'we', you weren't referring to the Grandmaster and her cause."

"Well, look at that. Turns out your stupid little brain's filled with more than just carrots," Rok chuckled. "Yeah, no shit I wasn't talking about Lady Salem. And don't be beat around the bush - you've already figured out that I've got my own agenda. When have I ever tried to hide it?"

"I suppose I assumed you were simply terrible at keeping secrets," Harriet replied.

"Aww, that hurts me, Harriet." Sighing, the young man stood up and, brushing himself off lightly, walked towards the door. "Don't forget," he hissed in her face. "You still need me. Thanks to Fenrir and I, you've practically got an army all lined up and ready to die. But as for you? I can tell you one thing for sure. Whatever my goal might be, I sure as hell have no use for you."

Giving her a mockingly polite nod, Rok walked away. _He's certainly a nasty one,_ Harriet thought as she watched him go. It was true that she'd suspected that his loyalties didn't lie with Salem, but there was no denying that she'd never have gotten Fenrir's allegiance without his help. As Salem had taught her, she must take advantage of every possible tool...no matter how unreliable it might be.

Still, Rok certainly had something else on his mind. And Harriet doubted that whoever he was truly working for considered her to be a friend. At some point, it would undoubtedly come to a conflict. _Whoever it is, it must be someone truly powerful..._

"We will see," Harriet muttered out loud. "If you think you can outplay us, I welcome you to try."

* * *

 _Amity Coliseum_

"So, um...do you think I've packed enough arrows?" Her fingers shaking slightly, Summer rummaged through her backpack. She hastily shoved as many as she could fit into her quiver. "...No, it's not enough," she said angrily. "I knew I should've bought that extra-large size quiver back at the weapons shop."

"You'll be fine!" Tai encouraged her, giving her a hearty pat on the back. "You've got Rae to back you up, so there's nothing for you to worry about!" The four Huntsmen were in the waiting room for the next match. The doubles round of the tournament had begun, and Team STRQ was preparing for their next match.

Raven was sharpening her katana, multiple large vials of Dust lying next to where she sat. "If there's a match to be prepared for, I would say it's this one," she noted. "We will be going up against Heather, after all."

Qrow sighed. "Of all the luck...can't we ever get the pushovers, just once? I'd say you've got this in the bag, but, well…" Giving up on finishing his sentence, he just shrugged his shoulders dejectedly.

"If you two both get her alone, you should be able to take her down," Tai suggested. "But she'll have Herman with her, and he's pretty good with that harpoon of his."

Raven glanced at Summer. "Well? Do you have a winning strategy in mind, team leader?" she asked, not maliciously.

"Um…" Summer hesitated. "Well, Tai's right. Heather's smart, and she's definitely skilled with her guns, but even she should struggle in a two-on-one fight. Herman's got that trick where he lets off ice Dust from his weapon to freeze nearby enemies, so I guess we should attack him from a longer range..."

Summer realized she was starting to ramble. "Anyway," she said firmly. "I'll try taking down Herman with my arrows. Raven, you should be able to hold off Heather by yourself. Once Herman's finished, we'll team up on her. Alright?"

"It's an adequate plan," Raven replied. She turned to Tai and Qrow. "The match will be starting soon. You two should get back to your seats."

"Fine," said Qrow. "Honestly, I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be here in the first place."

"We'll be cheering for you, ladies! Get us another win out there!" Tai winked at his teammates.

Once they were gone, Summer and Raven made their final preparations. When the speakers turned on to announce that it was time for the next match to begin, the two Huntresses glanced at each other meaningfully, exchanged a quick nod, before walking out onto the arena.

Heather and Herman stood on the other end of the battlefield, waiting for them. "Do you think you're ready?" Heather asked, pistols in hand. "I can assure you that we won't be holding back in this battle."

"Neither will we," Raven smiled, drawing Shadow Mobius. "May the strongest team win."

"Our next match in the tournament will be quite a special one! On the left, we have Raven Branwen and Summer Rose of Team STRQ. On the right, Heather Fox and Herman Whitehead of Team HTHR!" Professor Lawrence's boomed over the speaker. "Both teams have already proven to be formidable fighters, and no matter which of them wins, Beacon will have at least one team move on to the finals! This should be an exciting battle for us all!"

Both teams got into battle position. Summer drew her bow, keeping it at her side, eyes locked onto her opponents. The randomizer began to select the arena biomes, settling on Geyser, Lava, Ocean and Mountain. "Three, two one...let the match _begin!"_

Summer immediately aimed her bow at Herman and fired an arrow. The light-blond Huntsman deflected the projectile using his harpoon, and it exploded harmlessly in the ocean. Raven charged at Heather, katana in hand, launching a crest of wind Dust at her. Heather leapt over the attack, swiftly firing bullets that Raven blocked with her sword. The two begin parrying each other, with Raven swinging Shadow Mobius at blinding speeds and Heather blocking her strikes with the impacts of her gunshots.

"Here I come!" His harpoon held forward, Herman charged at Summer. The pointed weapon was surrounded by the glow of ice Dust, and she felt the temperature drop as he approached her. Switching to blade form, Summer blocked his lunging strike, only for frost to start forming around the edges of her swords, freezing them in place. Thinking quickly, she fired some bullets from their barrels, breaking off enough ice for her to wrench the blades away. _Parrying him isn't going to be easy,_ Summer thought.

She turned and ran toward the Lava biome. Going back to bow form, she fired several arrows at Herman, luring him into following her. He retaliated with several ice crystals that he fired from his weapon, which he transformed from a harpoon into a sniper rifle. Summer avoided them, and, having reached the Lava area, leapt behind a large red rock. She noticed with some relief that Herman's projectiles evaporated in the heat as they approached her.

"Hey, no fair," Herman complained. Shrugging, he switched the clip in his rifle to regular ammunition, and fired at Summer when she poked her head out of cover. "Ugh," she grunted, ducking as a bullet flew by her head. "Hey, Raven! I could use some help!" she yelled, hoping her teammate would hear her.

Raven and Heather were still locked in their struggle, which had moved into the Geyser area. With an effort, Raven shoved her opponent away with a powerful thrust of her katana . She inserted a vial of fire Dust into the weapon's chamber, and slammed the blade into the hard ground, setting off a wave of heat that created large cracks in the surface. Raven leapt back as a rush of steam rose from the geysers, blinding Heather and fogging up her glasses.

Noticing Summer's plight, the dark-haired Huntress pointed Shadow Mobius at Herman, who had his back to her, unaware. She fired a concentrated beam of Dust energy that struck him in the back and launched him, yelling in surprise, straight into the Lava biome. He landed face-first right next to Summer.

"Thanks!" she yelled as she switched her weapon to its blade form. She ran at Herman, but he recovered quickly. Picking himself up, he parried her strike, bright sparks flying from the clash of sharp metal. He shoved the butt end of his harpoon into her stomach, and Summer stumbled backwards into a rock, clutching her chest in pain. Cornered, she held up her swords defensively as Herman thrust his weapon again, his harpoon finding itself inches from her face.

Suddenly, Summer felt a nauseous sensation flow through her body. She could feel her strength being drained away by some unseen force as she struggled to push the harpoon away. _What's this feeling?_ she thought, flashing a glance at the scoreboard. To her surprise, she saw that her Aura had decreased by almost forty percent, despite not having taken any significant damage. Herman, meanwhile, was already down to half his Aura after a single hit from Raven.

"Hr...hraah!" She wrenched herself free and leapt back, placing one foot behind her and holding up her blades toward her opponent. _I'm not sure what just happened..._ she thought. _Herman's pretty tough, but I guess he just doesn't have much Aura._ That was alright for her - all that mattered was taking him down quickly.

She let Herman come to her, harpoon in hand. She ducked, jumped back, and rolled away to avoid his next few strikes, shooting quick glances at his body posture to search for an opening to attack. Somehow, she knew it was something about his weapon that had drained away her Aura. _I just have to avoid making contact with it. Go straight for Herman himself._

As Herman took another swing that missed her by a few centimetres, leaving himself exposed, Summer saw her chance. "Yah!" She thrust her blade at his abdomen, landing a strike that took off more of his Aura. Herman, stumbled back, grunting in pain, and glanced at the scoreboard. He was now at thirty percent Aura, and could take one more good hit at best.

"Ah well," he muttered. "Heather's doing her best, so I guess I should be a bit serious, too…" Shrugging, he raised his harpoon skyward. It began to glow with an icy blue light. A beam of ice Dust shot out from the weapon's tip, bursting in the air and sending a shower of ice and snow falling to the ground. Summer felt the temperature drop by almost thirty degrees, enough for the ice to not melt.

Herman swung his harpoon, and several miniature ice spears materialized from the glowing Dust in its tip. Summer deflected the first two projectiles, before running to the side to avoid the rest. She ran at Herman, who leapt around her strikes with surprising agility and retaliated with quick kicks and stabs. It seemed his Semblance was that he became faster as the temperature got lower.

Desperately, Summer tried increasing the aggression of her attacks, striking repeatedly and quickly in the hopes of striking Herman, but to no avail. The ashen-haired young man kicked her away, and she landed face first in the snow. "Ow," she complained, as she got up and ran away from Herman as fast as she could. She switched back to bow form and fired several more arrows, which he avoided easily.

Summer took several more steps back, firing off an arrow to cancel out another ice lance that Herman fired from his harpoon. Her foot hit something in the snow, and she looked down in confusion. Kicking away the snow, she saw it was the base of one of the lava plumes, which had been frozen over. _Hmmm…_

Herman had given up taking her out at long range, and was now charging at her with his weapon held out. Summer watched him approach, loading an explosive arrow into her bow and slowly aiming it toward the frozen plume.

Once his foot touched the block of ice encasing it, Summer let the arrow fly. Herman leapt over the arrow to avoid it, but as the projectile struck the plume and exploded, a large geyser of hot lava burst out from under the ground, engulfing him. Herman was sent flying backward, landing back first in the ice as the snow around him melted from the heat his body was giving off. The elimination buzz was sounded, signaling Herman's defeat.

"Excellent work by Miss Rose!" Professor Lawrence called out over the speaker. "The match is now two on one in Team STRQ's favour, but Miss Fox seems to be putting up quite well against Miss Branwen over there!"

On the other side of the arena, Raven was still dueling with Heather, and their clash had moved into the Mountain biome. "Raven!" Summer yelled, running toward them with her bow drawn. She fired several arrows, but Heather simply shot all of them out of the air with one pistol while effortlessly parrying Raven's katana with her other.

 _She really is good,_ Summer thought anxiously. She was already low on Aura as it was, and a quick glance at the scoreboard allowed her to see that Heather's Aura was still fairly high, just slightly more than Raven's. Still, she'd help out as much as she could.

Heather did a backflip, launching herself up the mountain. Once she had the high ground, she rested her feet on a ledge about a third of the way up and began firing bullets at Raven and Summer. The two Huntresses rolled away in opposite directions to avoid the barrage. Summer aimed her bow at Heather and began firing arrows to distract her, while Raven created a portal with a swing of her sword. She leapt through the void and emerged next to the gunslinger Huntress, engaging her in combat.

Summer aimed Phoenix Heart at the ground and, while leaping upward, fired an explosive arrow to propel herself in the air, toward the ledge where Raven and Heather were fighting. She switched her weapon to blade form midair, launching herself in their direction.

Heather leapt backward, avoiding Raven's strike. She switched one of her guns to its boomerang form and, without looking at Summer, threw it in her direction. Summer was struck in the chest by the sharp end of the weapon. A gunshot rang out, and she was mercilessly flung back down to the ground. A sharp pain rung through her body as she landed painfully on her back, and the buzzer promptly sounded to announce her elimination.

"Oh! And now it's down to one on one!" Lawrence announced. "This will be close indeed!"

Groggily picking herself up from the ground, Summer looked up to see the two Huntresses still doing battle. Every one of Raven's strikes, Heather would block almost telepathically, her weapons moving to parry the attacks before her opponent even initiated them. Meanwhile, Raven was agile enough to avoid all of Heather's shots even at such close range.

Summer had once heard a wise man say that fighting was similar to a dance. Every moment was rhythmic and impactful, and not a single move was wasted. She had never quite understood that sentiment until now. And just like a dance, even a single misstep would be enough to spell disaster for a participant...but in a fight, it was not a matter of avoiding such a mistake, but seeing who would make one first.

In this case it was Heather, who flinched just for a moment while aiming her pistol at Raven. Not willing to waste this advantage, the dark-haired Huntress was able to land a direct strike on her opponent, taking off a generous amount of Aura. While Heather seemed to recover, a ruthless fighter like Raven didn't hesitate to further exploit this weakness. They parried several more times, during which Raven landed even more powerful hits. Finally, she delivered a Dust-infused stab from Shadow Mobius that launched Heather off the edge of the mountain, eliminating her.

"Miss Branwen deals the decisive blow - Team STRQ is victorious!" As Lawrence announced their victory, the audience burst into cheers and applause. "Good job, Rae! You too, Summer!" Tai called from where he sat in the stands, clapping with a large grin on his face. Qrow sat beside him, also applauding, and a few rows above Latte Adel sat with his team, nodding approvingly at his friend's victory.

In the top row of the stands, Psycha Ozmov watched the audience members cheer and celebrate below her. She glanced at Summer and Raven in the arena, her disdainful face not betraying any emotion. Without a word she got up from her seat and turned towards the exit.

"Eh? Where you going, Psycha?" Locke asked, surprised. His leader didn't respond as she left the stadium.

Back on the arena floor, Heather and Herman were congratulating Summer and Raven for their victory. "You did well," Heather said, smiling. "Admittedly, I wanted to be the one winning the tournament, just as Aurora did. Even so, I couldn't be prouder of you."

"Come now, you're not our professor," Raven replied. "I'm surprised that someone like you would slip up like that. Injuries from training, perhaps?"

"Really, I'm just fine," Heather laughed, though her hand moved to massage her shoulder as she said it.

"Hah...sorry that you won't be going to the finals because of us," said Summer with a sheepish grin. "Don't worry, we'll give Beacon Academy a win for sure. You can count on us."

As the arena returned to normal, the four Huntsmen made their way to the exit. As Herman walked in front of her, Summer glanced at his harpoon. For a moment, she could faintly feel that strangely familiar sensation from earlier, like her Aura was being drained away. It lasted only a second though, and she quickly shrugged it off and continued walking.

* * *

 _Headmaster's Office, Shade Academy_

"...Miss Ozmov," said Candor Thane, keeping his voice low in an attempt to calm his student down. "Please, restate what it is you want."

"You heard me the first time," Psycha replied. "All you need to do is get this over with and announce me as the winner."

"..." The headmaster stared at her in dumb astonishment. "Please, Psycha. You know I can't do that. There's still the doubles and the singles ro-"

Psycha shook her head. "I couldn't care less about any of that. Come on now, how much do you want, headmaster? Two million? Three million?"

"This is not a matter of money!" Thane insisted, his face contorted in anger. "If you are really so intimidated by the likes of Raven Branwen and the silver-eyed girl-"

"Intimidated? By _them?_ " Psycha sneered. "Don't be so stupid - you know that no one poses any threat to me! _That's_ why I want you to just declare me the winner right now - why waste everyone's time when they already know how this is going to end? So tell me, how much do you want? Daddy paid you five million Lien to get me into Shade, right? Well, I can give you double that right now, and he'll be none the wiser!"

"Miss Ozmov!" Thane yelled, slamming his fist on the headmaster's desk. A bottle of ink was knocked off and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces and staining the rug. "I already shamed myself enough when I accepted your father's bribery, and I refuse to sink so low a second time! You're lucky that I haven't had you expelled yet!"

"And you won't," Psycha said smugly.

Thane closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair. "I have no time to deal with your whining. If this is truly bothering you so much, why not consult your father?"

Psycha flinched. "I've tried - he hasn't responded to my calls in months," she admitted, kicking the floor pathetically. "I-I have no idea what's up with him. Busy at the lab, I guess."

"...I see." Thane maintained his strictest possible tone. "Even so, my answer to you is clear. I will not allow you to cheat any further. Now _leave_."

"Fine!" Psycha spat. "Well, whatever. If you want to waste even more of my time with this stupid tournament, then go ahead! It doesn't change anything - I'll be taking home the trophy and that stupid medallion no matter what!" She turned and stomped out of the room.

Thane sighed. The headmaster was really getting too old to be bickering with his students - not that he had ever been particularly good at it. His eyelids sagging in fatigue, he glanced around his office. The shelves were adorned with medals and trophies, and weapons of all shapes and sizes, from rapiers to axes, were hung on the walls. All of them had belonged to him, of course. As a Huntsman, Thane had been peerless in strength...but that didn't always equate to being a perfect leader.

Still, he'd done his best - even when others ridiculed him as a fool behind his back, even as certain incidents had made him painfully aware of his own failings.

 _Times were simpler back then,_ he thought wistfully. _Now it seems as though everything's just going to hell. Ozpin, old man - I hope this mad plot of yours works out..._


	41. Ouroboros

**Chapter 16: Ouroboros**

 _Amity Coliseum_

At long last, the final bracket of the Vytal Festival Tournament had begun. Thunderous applause rang through the overfilled stands of the Amity Coliseum as the eight finalists entered the arena. They waved at the adoring crowds as they approached the centre. Some of them had serious, rigid expressions on their faces, as they concentrated on the grueling matches that they would soon have to overcome. Others bore confident, almost arrogant smiles, strutting smoothly among their opponents without even acknowledging their presence.

Several members of the audience leaned in and stared at them, awestruck. One of these Huntsmen-in-training was going to be declared the best in all the Academies. Most spectators were simply cheering at the top of their lungs in support of their favourites.

The eight Huntsmen stood in a straight, horizontal line that stretched across the centre of the arena. Psycha was perched far off on the left end, standing at a noticeably large distance from the rest of the finalists. She glanced upward into the stands, looking at nothing in particular, her green eyes displaying a mixture of irritation and boredom. In the middle, Latte Adel turned his head toward Raven, who stood calmly beside him, standing up straight. "May the best Huntsman win, huh?" he asked, smiling.

"Indeed," Raven replied. Though her face displayed a confident smile, and she appeared as calm as ever, her body language suggested otherwise. Her hands were clenched by her side, the focused glare in her crimson eyes, and the rigid posture of her legs suggested that she was just as tense as the rest of the competitors. "Perhaps we'll get the chance to face off against one another again. I'm sure you've been waiting quite awhile for our rematch."

"Heh! You bet!" Latte laughed. "Don't forget, the only reason you won last time was because of your friends backing you up. This might be a good opportunity to see who's _really_ stronger, don't you think? And honestly," he said in a hushed voice, nudging Raven's shoulder with a knowing wink, "I think between the two of us I'd be the one more likely to take on that Psycha freak and live to tell the tale. Trust me - I don't want her to win any more than you do."

"We will see about that," said Raven coolly, moving her fingers over the sleek handle of her katana. A loud, blaring noise from the projector screen caught her attention, and she turned to see the randomization process begin, cycling through the eight finalists to determine the first pairing of the one-on-one matches. The crowd watched the process while whispering in hushed tones, and their anticipation was tangible.

Eventually, the randomizer made its choice, as the two slots settled on _Raven Branwen_ and _Latte Adel_. "And it seems our first match of the finals has been decided!" Professor Lawrence announced. "Could all finalists except Miss Branwen and Mr. Adel please exit the arena? The battle will begin immediately!"

"Well, looks like my chance came sooner than I thought," Latte chuckled, jumping up and down slightly in anticipation, while stretching out his arms. "Don't go easy on me, alright?" As the other contestants cleared out of the stadium, he walked over to the other end of the floor, before turning back around to face Raven. "I can't just disappoint Isa after promising her that I'd win!"

Raven drew Shadow Mobius with a clean, swift pull. "My condolences then," she said coolly, pointing the katana at Latte with a dramatic flourish. "I suggest you come up with a suitable apology for your woman, while you still have the opportunity. You'll need it after this battle."

"Same to you," Latte replied, removing his Pyroburst Cannon from his back and holding it in battle position, with its shotgun pointed in Raven's direction. "I can't imagine Taiyang's going to be too happy to see you lose." The fashionable young Huntsman flashed a brief smile as Raven's normally stoic face turned red for just one moment.

As they stood in place, the center platform detached itself from the rest of the arena, slowly rising several feet into the air as a ring of spotlight cameras rotated in the direction of the two combatants, focusing their glares on them. For the final rounds of the tournament, there would be no relying on environmental advantages to win, and it was far easier to be eliminated by ring-out. More than anything, this was meant to be a match of pure skill.

"Three, two, one and...begin!" the professor announced, and the sound of the bell signaled that the match had started.

Latte immediately started his attack, firing a barrage of shotgun shells. Raven avoided them with a quick role to the side, before retaliating with a swing of her sword that launched a beam of Dust energy at him. Grinning, Latte activated his flamethrower, sending out a long stream of fire that melted the beam and caused it to detonate, creating an explosion that Raven barely avoided.

Cursing under her breath, she ran away from the jet of flames that followed after her. She had almost forgotten about the massive range of Latte's flamethrower, which was made worse by the small size of the arena. _He was indeed a smart choice for the finals._

Raven swung her katana to form a portal, and jumped in with as much force as her legs could muster. She emerged directly behind Latte, lunging at him with the tip of her blade. The young man turned around on his right foot with surprising speed considering his heavy weapon, and raised the cannon, causing a series of blades to jut out from the edges, parrying her strike. He swung Pyroburst Cannon with enormous force, knocking Raven backwards into the air. Regaining her composure midair, she forced her feet back to earth just centimetres away from the edge.

Not daring to take her eyes off her opponent, Raven slowly circled around Latte, katana drawn, waiting for an opportunity. The young man stood his ground, shifting his body slightly to maintain eye contact with Raven. His weapon was also in position to attack at any moment. _He's remaining in a single spot,_ Raven noted as she observed his behaviour and body language. It seemed Latte was choosing to take the safer route, by baiting her into making the first strike while he remained on the defense, conserving his energy.

Raven made a feint, quickly putting her left foot forward and making a lunging motion with her sword, only to abruptly leap to the side. Latte fell for it, wasting a precious second by firing another shell at the spot where she had just been. Raven took this opportunity to run at him as fast as she could, charging up Shadow Mobius with Dust energy and launching a fully-powered strike at Latte. He blocked the hit with his cannon again, but he was a little too late this time, and the force of the impact took off some of his Aura. Raven noted that she'd managed to force him a couple steps back, but he quickly returned to his previous position the moment she leapt back.

 _He's stalling,_ she realized. Latte was planning on letting her exhaust herself bombarding him with attack after attack, wasting her strength and resources, only retaliating once she'd tired herself out. With his weapon's incredible tanking capabilities, it was certainly a fairly viable strategy to employ, especially against an opponent who was more agile.

 _Perhaps I could find some way around him…_ Raven thought to herself. However, after a brief moment of pondering, she angrily shook her head. _No. I have no need to play around his little tricks._ She was a warrior - an inhabitant of Valhalla and survivor of the Branwen clan. She was powerful enough to win through sheer force. Raven Branwen could trust her own strength.

She flicked a switch on the handle of her katana. She felt the blade becoming warmer as Dust energy flowed through it, until it was fully charged again. Normally, Raven would stop there, but this time she held her breath and concentrated, feeling her Aura flow from her into the body of her sword, stabilizing it and allowing Shadow Mobius to go beyond its maximum capacity. All the while, Raven kept her eyes fixated on Latte, the two of them continuing their standoff. In the back of her mind, she could hear the audience becoming restless. They were wondering why there was so little action going on. Some of the more impatient ones had started booing.

 _I can end this with one move,_ Raven thought, as Shadow Mobius was surrounded by a sinister crimson glow, practically trembling as she grasped it in her hands. She stopped the flow of Aura, as it was now taking all of her concentration to keep the blade from shattering into pieces from the Dust overflow.

Latte noticed the change in her weapon, too. Despite himself, he took a cautious step back, as his eyes moved apprehensively toward the vile blade. A nervous look emerged on his handsome face, and he frowned. Just for a moment, his sudden apprehension caused him to loosen his grip on Pyroburst Cannon.

That was all Raven needed. "Hyah!" she yelled, leaping into the air with her blade held forward. Caught off guard, Latte fired off several shotgun shells in a panic, but Raven simply bisected them with precise swings, causing them to explode harmlessly behind her. She brought down Shadow Mobius with all her strength, clashing against the edges of his hefty weapon. The crimson sword cleaved straight through the blades protruding from the cannon, melting through their cold steel like butter. It chafed against the weapon's surface, and smoke from the heat rose into the air, letting off the scent of burnt rubber. "What the…?" Latte gasped.

"Hrrrahhh!" Raven swung Shadow Mobius again, the sharp edge of the katana creating a noticeable gash in Latte's cannon. Before he could retaliate, she struck again, and again, and again, each swing more vicious than the last. Overwhelmed by her assault, Latte desperately tried to use his flamethrower to drive her back, but the dark-haired Huntresses' strikes were so fast that the force from them blew his own fire back into his face. "Gah-!" he spluttered as he lost his balance completely, stumbling backwards.

 _Now._ Raven readied her blade and launched a powerful technique - one that she had learned from her training back in the clan. Four precise swings - directed at each of the victim's limbs. Two to the lower arms, to disarm them of any weaponry and capability for defense, then two more to the shins in order to fully cripple them. Finally, there was the coup de grace - a hard thrust to the vital areas, releasing all the Dust contained within the weapon in a single climactic outburst. The entire process was completed in a single second.

A deafening explosion filled the ears of everyone in the stadium as Latte was blown backwards, into the air, at sound-piercing speed. The force from the blast shattered the floor beneath them as he was flung out of the arena, crashing back-first into the forcefield with a loud _crunch_. Several people sitting nearby, who hadn't yet registered Raven's attack, screamed in forcefield flickered noticeably as Latte struck it, the impact nearly breaking its surface entirely. The young Huntsman, still in shock, slumped forward and fell down to the ground below.

 _BZZZT._ "And with that," Lawrence announced enthusiastically, "Latte Adel has been eliminated by loss of Aura _and_ ring-out! The winner is Raven Branwen of Team STRQ!"

The crowd burst into cheers, applauding Raven for her victory. She turned to where Summer, Tai and Qrow were clapping for her, and she waved back with a small smile on her face. The other three members of Team LIME were applauding with slightly less enthusiasm several rows away. Esther was hanging her head slightly, Marguerite was laughing drunkenly, and Isa simply shook her head in disapproval.

"I think we can agree that was an excellent way to start off the final bracket!" the professor declared. "Now then, let the randomization for the next match begin…"

* * *

 _Grand Oasis Hotel_

Several days had passed since Raven's victory over Latte. As virtually everyone predicted, Psycha decimated her way through the other competitors and solidified her place as one of the final two. Raven had defeated another opponent in the semifinal round, making her the other contender for the grand prize.

There was plenty of buzz going around for the grand final match. Many people had been won over by Raven's skills and sword techniques, and there were whispers that she might even be able to defeat Psycha and her monstrous bird.

In the meantime, Team STRQ spent the days exploring all of Vacuo, getting immersed in the nomadic culture of the desert kingdom, and visiting the many different landmarks. Finally, on the day of the final match, Summer decided to go outside for a walk, alone. By the time she'd woken up, Raven had already gone out for some last-minute practice.

"That's probably a good idea, going out by yourself once in awhile," said Tai as he wandered over to the fridge. "I'll come with you if you want, though."

"Hey, now. You already got my sister, jackass," Qrow grumbled. "You tryin' to go two for two?"

"Hah, not at all. It's just common courtesy. I'm not so greedy that I'd try getting in between you and your lady, Birdy."

"... _What?_ "

"Got you there," Tai chuckled. He turned back to Summer with a playful smile. "Well, just be sure to be back by noon, alright? This is the one match we definitely can't afford to miss!"

"You got it."Summer smiled back and nodded. "Oh and by the way," she added, turning to Qrow. "I heard there's a sale at the video store today - want me to get that new video game that you kept clamoring about the other night? I hope it won't kill my wallet - but if we win today I guess it won't be a problem anymore."

"Seriously?" For one moment, Qrow's eyes lit up like a little child's. He promptly coughed and, regaining his composure, looked up at his partner with an appreciative grin. "Uh, I mean, thanks for that."

Summer waved goodbye to the boys and stepped out of the room. Taking the elevator down, she left the hotel and wandered through the city streets, toward her destination.

Before anything else, there was one thing in particular she had wanted to do today, which she hadn't told either Tai or Qrow. Her conversation with Luka Branwen was still nagging at the back of her mind, or specifically one detail of it.

The old archeologist had mentioned something called the "Ouroboros Project", only to stop himself soon after. _I knew I'd heard that name somewhere before._ She'd seen it on one of the plaques in Doctor Merlot's laboratory when they'd infiltrated it back at Mountain Glenn last year. She could only vaguely recall what it said, but once she tried hard enough, she remembered something else: _Permission to use relic...denied._

 _Relic._ Hadn't Raven said something about a 'relic' that she was investigating? Something that might have been related to the destruction of her clan? It was a long shot, but Summer was willing to give it a try. She hadn't told any of them about this yet, as she wanted to get some more information first.

After some point, she stopped. Her feet flat on the ground, Summer looked up. In front of her was what appeared to be a large domed cathedral crafted from steel, but was actually the Atlesian Embassy for Vacuo. She walked through the automatic doors and went up to the counter. "Hello," she said, trying to sound formal. "Is General Argent Fox currently in?"

"...Yes he is. Who are you and what is your business?" the receptionist asked, glancing over the young woman with suspicion in her eyes.

"Summer Rose. I'm here for a, uh...inquiry!" Summer handed the receptionist her ID card. As thanks for helping to quell the incident in Atlas back in their first year, the general had granted all members of Team STRQ the authority to contact him or any other major Atlesian representative at an embassy. None of them had ever found a need to take advantage of it, until now.

"...Ok, your ID checks out. Go right ahead." The receptionist nodded, and Summer made her way to the elevator, taking a deep breath as she was carried to the upper floor. As the door opened, she marveled at the fancy tapestries on the floor and the paintings decorating the sleek white walls. Summer walked over to the big door with _GENERAL FOX_ written on it, emblazoned in gold, and politely knocked three times. _Here goes nothing._

"Coming." Sure enough, Argent's voice could be heard from behind the door. As he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Rose! What brings you here today?"

"...Um." Summer was suddenly at a loss for words. To tell the truth, she hadn't really thought of any specific questions to ask the general. And would be really be able to give her any answers if all she had were some vague suspicions? _I just have to try, I guess._ "Hello, General. I heard you were in town, and I just wanted to ask you a question…"

"By all means, Miss Rose. Ask away. I'm not particularly busy at the moment."

Summer took a deep breath. "I talked to Luka Branwen-"

A look of surprise flashed in Argent's eyes as she said the archaeologist's name.

"-and I was just curious about something he said to me. Something about the 'Ouroboros Project', which you were apparently involved in somehow. And, well, I just wanted to know-"

"You want to know about what it was, and what happened four years ago, correct?" Argent interrupted her. A steely, cold glare encapsulated his face for a split second, and was gone as fast as it came. Quietly, he gestured inside the room. "...I suppose I should have expected that someone might let something slip eventually. Come in, Miss Rose. If you truly wish to know, then I'll tell you what I can."

"Th-thanks," said Summer. _Wow. That was easy._ She started to feel a sense of apprehension, but shrugged it off as mere nervousness and walked into the general's office. Gingerly, she sat herself down in the large silk chair in front of the desk. "So, this 'project' was…?"

"It was an...experiment. A military operation that I proposed could revolutionize the future of peacekeeping, and serve as an indispensable weapon in our endless war against the Grimm. It was a long, grueling process, but with Onyx's help I was finally able to get the council's blessing. We recruited Doctor Merlot, who I'm sure you knew quite well."

 _So that was Merlot's connection to all this?_ Well, that was one mystery solved right out of the gate. Perhaps this was also related to the mad doctor's fascination with Grimm hybrids.

"The idea was simple," Argent continued. "With Merlot's aid, and that of several other scientists, including Luka, we created a special serum that would enhance the capabilities of a human's Aura, by altering the quantum pattern of the "soul". In its finished form, it would allow the user to regenerate their own Aura in an infinite loop, not only increasing their physical capabilities tenfold, but also making them theoretically invulnerable."

"Is that...even possible?" Summer asked in astonishment. Her mind began racing as she began considering the possibilities of an Aura that could instantly regenerate itself. If Atlas had succeeded in the project, their armies would be unstoppable should another Great War ever break out. _But it didn't succeed, apparently. Why?_

"It was _theoretical._ Once the trial version of the serum had been completed, Merlot came upon a startling discovery. He was always an eccentric man, but one day he decided to test out the serum not on a lab animal, but on a Grimm we had managed to capture before it could destroy itself. And, despite having no Aura or soul, the serum worked on it. The beast's size and shape were altered, and it soon showed slight indications of sentience. Merlot was never quite the same after his discovery. He became obsessed with the Grimm, convinced that they could be twisted and controlled into something equal to - or even surpassing - a human being."

 _So that's what happened._ "But what does this have to do with what happened to the Ouroboros Project?" she inquired.

"The council, as a result of this discovery, declared the project to be dangerous and unpredictable, and ordered us to shut it down within the week." Argent closed his eyes. "But I would not let them have their way so easily. I believed that I alone saw the potential this project had. That someday mankind would look back and see me as a glorious saviour for my contributions. So I immediately requested the serum be used on human subjects - which I selected personally."

"And...it didn't work, did it?" Summer murmured.

Argent shook his head, clenching his fists on the desk. "No...it did work. It worked marvelously. But, well...I suppose I should have foreseen that it would have...disastrous side effects. By all accounts, we should have all been jailed for what happened. But of course, we had contacts - including the Headmaster himself. We were fortunate."

The general stood up abruptly, his face wrinkled in sorrow as he stared at the floor. "That incident still weighs heavily on my mind," he sighed. "I've...always wanted to find some way to atone for my actions - to repair the damage I caused through my selfish ambitions. I had almost given up all hope, but then Onyx came to me with a plan. I thought it was sheer madness at first, but I soon realized that I was desperate. And desperate people are so easily coerced into madness. To make up for my sins, we were going to steal the relic of Shade Academy."

Summer's body froze. _The relic! So Raven was telling the truth!_ "What exactly do you mean by a 'relic', General?" she asked.

"The four grand artifacts that lie beneath the Huntsmen Academies...gifts from the gods capable of changing the world. As a collective, the Huntsmen were supposed to guard them at all costs...but people have never been good at guarding anything. The Black Yin, the source of all power, was stolen from Atlas years ago, and now...our goal was to steal its counterpart - the White Yang, bearer of purification, capable of purging all malformities and disease!"

Summer sat there, her heart suddenly pounding in apprehension, as she waited for Argent to continue. "I know that I am committing the very crime that Briar once gave her life to prevent. But I also know that this is the only way to save them - and for that, I am willing to suffer any punishment. It is unbelievably selfish, but sacrifices are always necessary." The general moved his gaze to her. "And the Grandmaster shares my beliefs."

"..." Summer stared at him, her mouth agape. For a moment, she completely failed to register what the general had said. " _Oh,_ " she gasped as she finally understood. The pieces of the puzzle began fitting themselves together inside her head. "Oh...you - you're-"

The general nodded. "Grandmaster Salem is wise," he said softly. "She understands what is rotten in this world, and has dedicated her existence to eradicating it. The men and women she surrounds herself with - I, Onyx, your friend Harriet, and so many more - all share her resolve, even when our own beliefs contradict...such as with our current plan. Because Salem understands the importance of unity, and collaboration...perhaps even more so than Ozpin himself."

"I…" Summer gulped, as terror began to overtake her. She got up, her body shaking, and hesitantly pushed away the chair as she slowly walked backward. She stared at General Fox, who stood calmly as ever, his face now housing a serene determination. "Why would you tell me all this?" Summer asked, her voice a mixture of anger and confusion.

Argent shrugged. "I'm not so certain myself," he admitted. "I suppose I just thought that...after all the effort you and your friends put in to hinder our efforts, that you at least deserved to know the truth...before the end."

Summer heard the blade before she saw it. Instinctively, she leapt back as a silver gleam burst through the room, inches from her face. She knew that if she'd been half a second too late, she'd have been bisected from the waist up. "Ah-" she muttered, a panicked squeak escaping from her lips as she pulled Phoenix Heart from her back and fired an arrow. There was another bright gleam, and the arrow broke in two. Looking at Argent, Summer saw that he was not holding a weapon.

"I am sorry about this, Miss Rose," the general said, drawing a sleek silver sword from within his vestments. "I take no joy in this, but you have made an enemy of the Grandmaster and pose a threat to Onyx's grand plan. I cannot simply let this slide." He lunged at her.

Summer leapt back again, as Argent swung his sword. Though she clearly avoided his blade, she felt the sharp pain of the slash grazing her chest, and she saw the cut that it made in the front of her shirt. Blood was seeping from the wound. _What? My Aura…?_

Argent brought his sword down again. Summer turned and ran out of the office as she felt the door behind her break from the impact of the strike. _No time to worry about that now!_ She drew her bow and fired an explosive arrow as she saw Argent come into view, before turning to run again.

She had to get away, as fast as possible, and tell her team about what she'd learned. She could hear the explosion from the hall behind her, and several people yelling in surprise. Summer reached the staircase and bolted up the steps, jumping two stairs at a time. "Come on, come on…" she panted.

After what felt like an hour, she reached the rooftop. Summer ran over to the edge and looked down, feeling a sudden rush of sickness as she saw the sleek black roads and pristine sidewalks more than sixty feet underneath. From where she stood, the pedestrians below her looked smaller than ants. _D-do I just jump?_

Before she could decide, she heard the clamoring sound of footsteps as Argent caught up to her. Summer drew her bow again, but before she could fire, the general swung his blade, knocking the arrow off the string and pushing her back, almost knocking her off the edge.

In desperation, Summer ran at him with her swords. Argent retaliated with several quick swings, and once again, despite the blades not making contact, Summer could feel the force behind the blows. She tried to parry him by judging the direction of his attacks, but the experienced general was simply too fast. He disarmed her within seconds, while barely moving his body outside of his sword hand.

"Ugh!" Summer collapsed onto her behind as her other blade was knocked out of her hand. She felt herself growing dizzy as blood seeped out of her into her shirt. The general approached her, holding his sword over his head. _He's way too strong,_ Summer thought, despair overtaking her. _Is this...is this the end?_ Argent brought the sword down…

...but stopped in the middle of his attack, turning around abruptly to deflect a beam of Dust flying toward him. "What?" he muttered.

Disoriented, Summer glanced in the direction it had come from. She saw a spiraling black-red void, and standing in front of the portal, her katana held forward, was Raven. Hope began rising in her chest again as she saw her friend come to her rescue.

"Are you alright, Summer?" Raven asked calmly, her eyes fixated on Argent. Behind her, Tai and Qrow came running out of the portal. "Sis said she had a feeling your were in danger!" Qrow called to Summer as he drew Reaper's Gambit. "Looks like her instincts were right again!"

"The general of Atlas?" Tai's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Argent standing over Summer. "Why would he be trying to kill Summer?"

"He…" Summer struggled to get to her feet. "He's working for the same person as Harriet!" she yelled to her friends. "Professor Onyx, too! They've been against us since the beginning!"

Tai clenched his fists. "Are you serious?" he muttered as his eyes narrowed in anger. "That's pretty damn crazy...but I believe you. Hang in there - let's kick this general's ass and then we can figure out the rest later!" The three Huntsmen prepared to attack.

Without a word, Argent pressed a switch on the bottom of his sword, and a short gun barrel jutted out from the handle. He aimed the weapon and fired a single shot, striking Raven in the right shoulder. The Huntress was caught of guard as the bullet pierced straight through her Aura and into her flesh. She fell to the floor in shock. "Rae!" Tai yelled.

Qrow lunged at Argent, but his swings were easily deflected without even touching the general's blade. Argent leapt behind the young Huntsman, leaving his back exposed to Tai. "Hrahh!" The blonde fighter threw several strong punches into the back of Argent's head, causing him to stumble slightly. He quickly regained his footing and retaliated with two swings, each one containing enough force to knock down both of the boys.

Team STRQ had been defeated. Summer scrambled across the roof to retrieve her weapons, but in her heart she knew the battle was lost. As Argent approached her, several security guards came running up the stairs, all carrying firearms. "General!" one of them yelled. "We heard the sounds from below! What happened here?" He looked around the roof, seeing the four wounded Huntsmen. "Are they alright, sir?"

Summer's heart sank. _This is it._ With the general's overwhelming authority, there was nothing stopping him from labelling the four of them as criminals. He could send her and her teammates to jail, or worse, even have them executed. And it could have all been avoided if she hadn't tried to find the whole truth by herself.

Argent turned to his men. "...Bandits," he said tersely. "Members of the Brotherhood broke in and attacked. These Huntsmen-in-training tried to stop them, but they got away. It seems they jumped across the roof to the other building over there." He pointed in the direction of the nearby hotel, which was within jumping distance.

"Should we follow them, sir?"

"No. Most likely they're too far away by now. Get these students patched up immediately - thankfully their wounds aren't particularly serious. They were supposed to participate in the Vytal Tournament finals this afternoon, and if you work fast enough they should still be able to make it."

With that, the general brusquely turned around walked away. For just a moment, he turned his head backward to look at Summer, before descending down the stairs, leaving them behind.


	42. The Victor

**Chapter 17: The Victor**

 _Oasis General Hospital_

"How bad are you hurt, Sis?" Qrow asked.

"It doesn't hurt," Raven growled. "I'm fine."

She was not fine. The bullet that had embedded itself in her shoulder was far from a lethal hit, but Raven was still badly hurt. When she struggled to get up from the bed, she stumbled on her foot and collapsed gracelessly to the floor. "Gah…" she mumbled, putting her hand to her forehead. Her teeth were clenched in pain, sweat was dripping down her visage, and her face had gone worryingly pale.

"There must have been something on the bullet," Qrow concluded, his voice strained as he desperately tried to stay calm. "There's no other way Sis would ever go down to a little injury like this." He took a deep breath, as if collecting himself. "Looking at her right now, I doubt it's life threatening, but she'll be fucked up for a few days at least. Maybe if we do a blood test we'll find out what happened…"

Tai shook his head, a look of utter dismay on his face. "This is insane," he muttered to himself. "Why? Why the hell would General Fox - the guy who leads the _whole world's military_ \- be working for the bad guys? And a headmaster of the Academies, too?! None of it makes any sense!" Angrily, he thrust his clenched fist into the wall, creating a noticeable dent in the woodwork.

"C-calm down, Tai," said Summer, gently putting her hands over her friend's shoulders, hoping that he wouldn't cause any punishable property damage in his anger. They had enough problems right now as it stood. "Look, I already gave you guys an explanation of what happened. Argent said…" Briefly, she once again recounted what the general had told her about the relics and the Ouroboros Project.

The silence that filled the room after she finished was abruptly broken by Raven coughing. "The relics…" she muttered as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "So they _do_ exist after all. And you say that one of them is hidden somewhere in Shade Academy?"

"Yeah." Summer nodded. "And the general said that one of the relics was stolen from Atlas Academy...so I guess we can assume that the other two Academies each have one of these 'relics' hidden somewhere in them - and that includes Beacon." She could hardly believe she was saying these things. Ancient artifacts of power hidden beneath the four Grand Academies? It was like something out of a fairy tale she might have read to Autumn before bedtime.

"Relics? What the hell are these 'relic' things anyway?" Tai asked, sitting down heavily on a nearby chair, his face still bearing an expression of both confusion and frustration. "And how can we even trust what that Argent Fox guy said - he tried to _kill_ us, dammit!"

"But he didn't finish the job - he could have at least just tossed us in jail," Qrow muttered. "Guess he got cold feet."

Why Argent hadn't finished them off was honestly the least of Summer's problems at the moment. She had gone to the general for answers, and while she'd technically gotten them, she felt as though she'd only ended up with more questions than before. "Do you…" She began hesitantly. "Do you guys think we should tell Headmaster Ozpin about all this?"

"Yeah! Of course we should!" Tai insisted. "This is huge! He's got to know about it!"

"Would the old man even believe us, though?" Qrow grumbled, looking down at the floor.

 _I don't really know,_ Summer admitted in her head. _I'm not sure what exactly we're supposed to do from here...but I think it's at least worth a shot to tell Ozpin about this. We can at least trust him...right?_ A sharp pang of despair rang through her as she realized that after this, there really was no way to know for sure who they could believe. A student was one thing, but a military general and a headmaster both also working for some sinister conspiracy? _Who knows if even more people we know aren't what they seem._

"...We can sort out this mess at a later opportunity." Raven suddenly spoke up again. "There's still the matter of the Vytal Tournament. We can't simply forfeit our spot when we're so close to our victory!"

Tai stared at her. "C'mon Rae...I wanted to win, too, but...is that really so important right now?"

"Even with the information we've learned, I doubt there's anything we can really accomplish with it in our current position. And I'm not particularly hurt - I can still fight. Urgh!" She stumbled again, clutching her shoulder in pain as she grimaced. Raven was biting her lip, and a drip of blood was visible near the bottom of her mouth.

Her brother sighed. "Yeah…'not hurt', my ass. Hate to say it, but there's no way you're going out into the arena in that state." Finally, Raven sat back down in a sign of defeat, her fists clenched in anger at her side. An atmosphere of gloom was pervading the hospital room.

"It's a bummer alright," Tai muttered glumly. "We finally got so close to the top, and now we're just gonna have to give up. I don't like it, but I guess there's just nothing we can do about it anymore. N-not that it's your fault, Rae…" he added hastily at the end of that statement, nodding at Raven.

Suddenly, Summer spoke up. "I can go, then. I'll take Raven's place," she said, trying to sound as loud and firm as possible, which was a bit redundant considering her teammates were already in earshot. They turned to stare at her in surprise. "Huh? Are you serious?" Qrow asked incredulously.

Despite herself, Summer felt a slight pang of hurt at her partner's disbelief. She tilted her chin up and continued. "Raven and I were the ones who fought in the doubles round. If we say she got injured fighting off some bandits, I should be allowed to take her place."

"It's true that that's legal as far as the tournament rules go," Raven admitted, looking up at Summer. Her eyes were slightly narrowed and her jaw was clenched, and Summer couldn't tell if the dark-haired girl was glancing at her in admiration, resentment, or if she was just in pain from her wound. "But...are you certain about this? I mean no offense to you, but you won't stand a chance against Psycha. I could have at least used my portals, but you…"

Summer winced. "I-It's true that I don't have any strategy against her," she muttered, "But it's better for me to try than for us to just give up now. It's just like Tai said - we've already come so close." She nodded firmly at her teammates, making it clear that she wasn't going to take no for an answer this time. "I'll find a way somehow. I'm sure of it. Remember, Psycha's nothing but a cheater - a one-trick pony. Against real skill, she'll lose every time."

"...No point in convincing you otherwise, huh?" Qrow was grinning now. "Knowin' how deceptively stubborn you can be, I see no reason not to let you try. Just don't get your ass kicked, alright?" Summer caught herself smiling back at him, happy to have his approval. "You've got a deal," she said.

"Hell yeah. Now that's our Summer," Tai chuckled. "Forget forfeiting the match - never give up the fight, am I right?"

Raven hesitated for one noticeable second, but eventually acquiesced, giving Summer a curt nod of approval. "I'll be counting on you," she said. "If you think that you can pull off this victory, then I expect nothing but the best from you...leader." Summer detected a hint of bitterness in her tone even as she said it. _She really wishes it would be her up there in the arena, doesn't she…_

Summer heard the chiming of a bell, and looked over to the clock on the wall, where the hour hand had just struck twelve. In less than an hour, the final match of the Vytal Festival Tournament would begin. _It's now or never._ Summer turned back to her teammates, who were all looking at her expectantly. "Alright," she said. "I promise I'll win and teach that Psycha girl a lesson - no matter what it takes!"

* * *

 _Amity Coliseum_

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls..." Professor Lawrence's voice pierced through the thick, hushed silence of the audience, who were waiting with bated breath for the long-awaited match to begin. The excitement in the atmosphere was almost tangible as he continued his announcement: "Welcome, one and all, to the final battle of the tournament! It's been a long time coming, but when the elimination bell rings during this match, one of the two contestants here in this arena will be declared the champion!"

Cheers erupted as the spotlights surrounding the arena turned to focus their bright glares on the two young women standing in the center of the floor. Summer took a deep breath, instinctively closing her eyes shut as the light fell onto her. She could hardly believe this was actually happening, but she'd made her choice. Forcing her thumping heart back down into her chest, she raised her head to face her opponent on the other side. Psycha was staring at her apathetically, her visage no emotion that could possibly honour Summer with a hint of acknowledgement. The robotic bird, Bubble, sat meekly on her shoulder and chirped happily as its owner gave it a light pat on the head.

"From Shade Academy, we have Psycha Osmov of Team PLSM! Daughter of Sigmund Osmov, one of the finest investors the Kingdom of Vacuo has ever seen, and she'll be working to make him proud today! And so far in the tournament, she's proven herself to be practically untouchable! Let's see if that streak maintains itself for the finale!" As Lawrence mentioned her father's name, Psycha's face twisted itself into a deep scowl.

"And from Beacon, we were originally going to have Raven Branwen of Team STRQ, who's been shown so far to be peerless in her mastery of the sword. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, she will be unable to participate today, and bravely taking her place is her teammate - Summer Rose! Let's see how well she fares against Miss Osmov, shall we?" The perpetual cheering of the audience grew louder.

Psycha gave a heavy sigh, that unpleasant scowl remaining on her visage. "Your friend with the red sword might actually have been fun to crush," she said, glancing at Summer in disgust. "But you? You're not even worth the effort. So much for a silver-eyed warrior...blowing you to pieces in one shot would be giving you too much credit."

"If that's what you think, why not fight fair and square for once?" Summer retorted, the words rushing out of her mouth before she could even think of them. Without hesitating, she added: "Or maybe you're just too scared of me?"

Psycha's eyes widened. She glanced at Summer with the same disposition of someone staring down at a particularly fat cockroach scuttling across their floor. "Why you-"

"And without further ado, the final match is about to start!" Lawrence shouted over the speaker, cutting her off. The center platform rose into the air, and Summer slowly drew Phoenix Heart, ready for battle. No matter what happened now, she could take solace in knowing that her words had struck a nerve with the arrogant Shade girl.

With a loud _clang,_ the platform fell into place. The audience's cheers turned to silent anticipation. "Three...two...one…" the professor announced. "And... _begin!_ "

Immediately, Psycha raised her hand, her Aura manifesting itself as a orb of green energy in her palm. Bubble lifted itself off her shoulder and flew high into the air, chirping loudly. Summer pulled back her bow and fired off an arrow, but Psycha leapt to avoid it, clenching her fist and crushing the orb of Aura. The bird was surrounded by the energy and began growing huge again, and soon it was large enough that its owner could ride on its back. Gritting her teeth, Summer tried to bring it down with multiple fire arrows, hoping to melt its steel body, but they simply bounced off the metal creature's own Aura as it took to the skies.

Once the bird had reached the upper barrier of the arena, its massive frame almost completely blocking out the sky, Summer could hear Psycha shout a command from atop its back. The bird's beak opened and a bright light emanated from within, the heat radiating off of it warming Summer's body even at such a long distance. _If I get hit by the blast, it's over for me,_ she thought, recalling Team JADE's defeat. She aimed her bow at the ground, and as she saw a red flash out of the corner of her eyes, she fired an explosive arrow to propel herself into the air.

It wasn't a moment too soon, as an explosion rang out from beneath her, practically singing the bottom of her feet as she soared upward with her bow clenched tightly in her hands. Below her, the blast had covered the pristine white floor of the stadium in smoldering black gunpowder residue. The monstrous bird levitated high above her, and turned its enormous head in Summer's direction with a rumbling, mechanical growl. "You think you're clever, don't you?" Psycha yelled, pointing her finger at Summer with a dramatic flourish. "Fire again, Bubble! Burn her to ashes!"

Summer was beginning to lose momentum. Any second now, the kinetic force that had propelled her upward would run out, and she'd fall, painfully, all the way back down to the stadium floor. And the bird's beak was already charging back up for a second blast, this one looking to be no less deadly than the first. _Now's a better time than any to try_ these _out..._ Summer thought, reaching into her pouch and retrieving a large arrow with a flickering red light on its side. She loaded it into her bow and, after shooting a quick glance at the bird's mouth above, fired the arrow at a slight diagonal.

The arrow detonated mid-flight, less than a second after leaving her bow, propelling Summer upward yet again. These arrows were a newer, more advanced model that she'd purchased from a weapons shop in Oasis. These explosive projectiles were composed of more volatile Dust than the ordinary model, and could thus be manually detonated by transferring one's Aura into them.

As the blast sent her flying, the bird fired another massive beam that she barely managed to avoid. The deadly light flashed right before her eyes, and she felt a wave of heat wash over the front of her body. Swallowing her fear, Summer looked up, and saw that she was getting closer to her destination.

The avian monstrosity screeched, and its wretched, mechanical howls piercing into Summer's ears at such close proximity. It flapped its enormous wings, sending a thundering blast of wind rushing toward her. Summer screamed as she was violently flung back, her white cloak fluttering roughly against the wind. _This isn't good - at this rate, I'll get thrown out of the ring!_ She looked behind her, seeing that she was flying at breakneck speed toward the stands, and stretched out her legs behind her, bracing herself for impact. She collided with the barrier feet-first, and much to her embarrassment her skirt flew up slightly, leading to hushed gasps and whistles from the male spectators. Grunting, Summer launched herself off the barrier and quickly propelled herself up with another arrow, narrowly avoiding a third blast from the mechanical bird. She could hear the weak crackle of the barrier behind her as it strained to contain the force of the beam.

"Hrahhhhh!" With one more 'arrow-jump', as she liked to call it, Summer finally launched herself within range of the bird. She reached out and barely grasped the tip of one of its sleek metal wings, and clumsily dragged herself onto it. "Knock her off!" she heard Psycha yell, and the bird began to shake its wings furiously, forcing Summer to make a leap of faith. She made a forward jump off of the wing and landed, with a roll, onto the bird's main body, where Psycha herself awaited her. Gritting her teeth in irritation, venomous hatred enveloping her arrogant face, the Shade girl stared down her opponent and finally drew her own weapon - a crimson whip made from strands of Dust, crackling with flames as she swung it with a flourish.

Below the two Huntresses, the crowd was cheering. They'd likely expected that Summer would get slaughtered immediately, and were already impressed at her lasting this long against Psycha's bird. "It seems Miss Rose is putting up quite a fight!" Professor Lawrence announced enthusiastically, his voice booming around the stadium. "Perhaps she will finally end Miss Osmov's untouched winning streak!"

"You hear that? They think _you_ could possibly beat me," Psycha hissed. "I can't forgive this - you've already shamed me just by not playing your part and _losing_!" She swung her weapon wildly, and Summer leapt back to avoid the lashes. She retaliated with several arrows, but Psycha easily swatted them to the side. Yelling, Summer split Phoenix Heart into its two blades and charged headfirst toward her opponent, hoping to knock Psycha off balance.

To her surprise, it actually worked. Psycha's eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected Summer to make such a reckless approach, and stumbled backward while aimlessly swinging her flaming whip. Summer felt the weapon's sharp sting her several times, but her training had made the pain ignorable. She swung her blade, striking Psycha in the chest. "Ugh!" she grunted, reaching out a shaking, panicked hand to block Summer's next strike. The girl's whole body was trembling in fear, as if she'd never had an opponent directly confront her like this. "Bubble! _Spin!_ " she yelled as she fell pathetically onto her side.

Summer felt the surface below her feet shift, and she started to lose her balance. She looked down and saw that the bird was rolling onto its side in an attempt to shake her off. Quickly, she started running in the opposite direction to avoid falling off, while Psycha simply stood up and watched her, not affected by her bird's spinning at all. _I just need to get rid of the bird somehow!_ Summer thought. She ran toward the right wing, holding up her sword and thrusting it into the metal feathers, trying to keep her footing all the while.

Unfortunately, the blade simply bounced harmlessly off the wing. Summer tried firing a stream of bullets into the hard steel, but they had no visible effect, either. "Hah!" Psycha sneered, approaching Summer with her whip in hand. "You really thought it would be that easy? My precious Bubble is made from the finest steel in Vacuo - not even a bomb blast can bring him down!" She swung the whip, and Summer leapt desperately to avoid the lash. _If I can't destroy the bird, I'll just have to try something else to get Psycha off of it._ She pressed her mind for something - any idea that could work.

"Why don't you just give up already, huh?!" Psycha swung her whip again, and Summer jumped upward, changing her weapon back into a bow and propelling herself up with an explosive arrow aimed at the bird. "Dumbass," the Shade girl sneered. "I already told you that wouldn't work!"

As she flew, Summer sensed that she was getting close to the upper boundary. She turned herself around and, propelling herself off the forcefield, flew downward in the direction of the bird's right wing with the speed of a human torpedo. She switched to sword form and plunged both blades into the robotic limb as she crashed into it, the sheer force of the impact finally making a dent in the machine's hard shell. The enormous bird was knocked off balance, lurching to the side as it screeched in pain. Psycha stumbled but quickly regained her footing. Summer was once again barely hanging onto the bird's wing, pulling herself back up with an effort.

"You stupid bitch!" Psycha screamed, swinging around her whip in a maniacal frenzy, not even properly aiming at Summer. "Fly, Bubble! Shake her off! Send her flying! Let her break her stupid fucking neck when she hits the ground!" Her fist began glowing with Aura, and the bird glowed too. Slowly but noticeably, it began to shrink, until it was just small enough that it could fly around the arena while still carrying the weight of the two Huntresses. The wind blew against Summer's body, and she could tell that she wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.

Thinking quickly, she drew an ice Dust arrow from her pouch and rammed it forced into the steel beneath her feet. The projectile detonated, freezing her legs in place. She then switched to bow form, firing off a stream of arrows in Psycha's direction.

"Tch…" she snarled, deflecting the first three projectiles but being unable to stop a fourth from striking her in the chest, taking off a large chunk of Aura. "Get away from me, you little whore!" the Shade girl screeched. "You don't have the right to lay a single hit on me! You're not worthy of me - NO ONE is worthy of me!"

By now, she'd utterly lost it. Psycha ran at Summer with her whip, the Dust strands comprising the weapon hardening until they formed a thin Dust rapier. She seemed to have forgotten about her plan to shake her opponent off the bird's back. Summer used her blades to parry her strikes, while struggling to pull her feet out of the ice mound. Finally, with a pained grunt she broke free, kicking Psycha in the stomach as she brought down her blade on her.

Snarling, Psycha reached out and grabbed her by the hair, leaning in and savagely clamping her teeth on her shoulder. Summer let out a yelp at the sudden pain, stumbling backward and losing her balance. Her enemy took the opportunity to give her a hard shove off the back of the bird, leaving her dangling on one arm from the bird's beak. As she hung on for dear life, Summer felt a wave of heat as the machine opened its jaw, and she found herself staring down its glowing gullet. _Oh no._

"And that's what happens when you think you can cross me," Psycha said smugly, walking with a self-assured, triumphant gait, moving to stand directly above Summer. She bent down and smirked in her face, with her composure fully restored. "You've wasted my time and my patience, stupid girl. Time to take responsibility for what you've done!"

 _Funny, I wanted to tell you the same thing._ Summoning all her remaining strength, Summer pulled herself up, grabbing Psycha's foot and dragging her down with her. The two girls plummeted down into the air, and Summer could hear the ominous screech of the bird as it prepared for another blast, too late to stop the process. She put her arms around a struggling Psycha and used her as a human shield, bracing herself for impact.

Up close, the sound of the explosion nearly shattered her eardrums into fluid. White light filled her vision even as she closed her eyes, and her body went limp as she let go of Psycha and felt herself fall, the wind pushing up against her as she torpedoed downward, headfirst. The ear-piercing noise still ringing in her ears, Summer fought to regain her focus while still in freefall, finally forcing her eyes open with a sudden gasp. The ground was rushing up to meet her, getting closer and closer by the second. All her senses instantly returned to her, and she quickly fired an explosive arrow at the ground, breaking her fall - mostly. She fell clumsily onto the side, pain rushing into her abdomen as she collided with the arena floor. "Ugh!" she grunted.

She stumbled back to her feet. In front of her, the giant bird lay mostly unharmed but completely motionless. Once its owner had been rendered unable to control it with her Aura, it had simply shut down. Psycha was now banging her hand on its head, shouting angrily, her clothes covered in ash. "Get up, dammit! I-I still have Aura! Get up and destroy that Rose girl, NOW! What's wrong with you, you worthless piece of scrap metal!?"

Summer limped toward her slowly, swords in hands, her feet dragging across the floor as a light pain shot through them with every step. She took several pained gasps as she shot a glance at the scoreboard, seeing that both Huntresses' Auras were only slightly above elimination range. As she got close, Psycha turned around to face her, hatred in her eyes. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she hissed, holding up her whip. "You were supposed to lie down and lose like a good little peasant. Why couldn't you just know your place, huh?"

Summer didn't bother answering her - she wasn't worth it. She raised her sword. "You said you had Aura, right? Then you can still fight. You're right that I'm not that strong...and I'm definitely nothing compared to Raven when she's serious. But even I can stand my ground against a faker like you."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut the _hell_ up!" Psycha ran at her, and the two began fighting. Psycha swung her whip with a wild, unfocused frenzy, occasionally changing to her rapier, while Summer parried and blocked her attacks while waiting for her chance to retaliate. In truth, it could hardly be considered a fight. Within a minute, Summer dealt the final blow, and Psycha collapsed to the ground as the elimination bell rang.

The audience cheered with all the energy and resonance of a bomb going off. Summer could hardly make out the words that Professor Lawrence was saying as he announced her victory, with a slight tinge of bitterness that a Shade student would not be winning the tournament while at home, as the exhilaration of her victory was flooding her mind, blocking out all other sensations. She simply stood there, staring blankly, as the center platform slowly lowered itself back down and attaching itself to the rest of the floor. The rush lasted for several minutes, before finally being broken by Tai's ecstatic "You did it!" as he ran out onto the arena, followed by the Branwen twins. "Knew you could do it, Summer! That was the coolest damn thing I've ever seen!"

"Heh. Gotta admit, that was pretty badass." Summer looked at Qrow, her eyes meeting her partner's for a moment. Qrow flashed her a sheepish smile, not his usual awkward, sarcastic grin but rather a genuinely happy smile that Summer wasn't used to seeing. Beside him, Raven shot her an approving nod. "Well done, leader," she said curtly.

Once Psycha had been forcibly dragged, whining and complaining, out of the arena (after returning Bubble the bird back to its miniature size and putting it in her pocket), an unfamiliar man with a slightly hunched back, graying blonde hair and milky blue eyes walked onto the arena floor. The whole audience went silent as he approached Team STRQ.

"That's Professor Thane," Tai muttered to Summer. "Shade's headmaster. I've heard he was way better as a Huntsman than a teacher, though."

"My congratulations, Team STRQ." Headmaster Thane said, his voice terse and polite as he presented Summer with a large golden trophy in the shape of the Vytal Tournament's emblem: a wide crest resembling a set of wings, with a spear, axe and sword all mounted upon one another - the iconic symbol of a Huntsman's will and strength. Several men approached to present Team STRQ with the very oversized cheque for one hundred thousand Lien.

Finally, Thane retrieved a strange circular object wrapped in silk from within the folds of his uniform and handed it to Summer. "And for this year's tournament, as a commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Great War…" he declared, "I am proud to present the winning team with the sacred medallion once owned by the King of Vale himself. May you treasure this artifact of Remnant's proud history!"

The audience cheered again. Curiously, Summer held the trophy around one arm and unwrapped the mysterious medallion that Thane had given her. It was a piece crafted out of fine copper, beautiful yet slightly rusted on the sides. She didn't recognize the pattern that was engraved on the medallion's surface - it appeared to be that of a lotus flower, its petals melting into the water. _This...once belonged to the great warrior king himself…!_

She looked up at the stands, at all the people cheering for her and her team's victory, a wide grin spreading across her face. The reality of her victory had only just set in. Her other friends were happily calling out to her from their seats, yelling so loudly that Summer could actually make out their voices. "That was excellent, Summer!" Heather cheered. "Yeah! You sure showed her!" Latte laughed. All of Team STRQ stood tall and proud, savouring their accomplishment.

The rest of the day passed in a flash. It was right as the afternoon was about to end, and the sun was looming over the west horizon, that the four Huntsmen made their way to a small expanse of forest on the boundary between the Oasis and outer Vacuo. Team HTHR and Team LIME joined them, and Latte was the one who held the camera. _Snap._ Summer did her best to not blink as the photograph was taken.

"This is quite good," Raven said approvingly, holding the memoir in her hands. Summer agreed; the trees and light-coloured sky behind the four of them created a nice contrast. Though she felt a tinge of annoyance that, standing next to her three teammates, it would be hard for anyone to tell she was the team leader just from this picture.

Tai gave Qrow a painful nudge. "Geez, why so serious, man?" he asked, pointing at the dark-haired Huntsman's noticeable scowl. "You look like we're about to go to war!"

"Shut up," Qrow retorted. "That's just my face, pal. You got a problem with that?"

Summer couldn't help but laugh, taking in the sight of all her friends around her. _I can't wait to tell Autumn all about this…_ Right now, all the young Huntress wanted was for days like these to last forever…

* * *

 _Osmov Labs, Kingdom of Vacuo_

In a small, dark room, lit only by the dim blue glow of the computer screens serving as the walls' only decorations, the two men surveyed the results of their current day's work. One of them was short in stature, with a generous snowy white beard and a shaved, round head, an almost childish wonder in his yellow eyes. The other was tall and thin, with flat gray hair and a sallow face that betrayed no emotion other than a strict frown. Both men were among the top inventors in all of Remnant, and they were working on their latest masterpiece.

"This could be it, Sig!" The bearded man whispered, eyeing the object that lay in the pod before them - a body of steel in the shape of a human, though lacking any distinct features. "This might be the breakthrough we've been looking for - thanks to your help, of course."

"Thanks are unnecessary, Joseph," Sigmund Osmov replied icily, as his eyes remained unmoving from where they were. "It was through our combined efforts that the avian prototype proved to be a resounding success, even if its owner proved herself to be as disappointingly lacking as ever. It was no surprise that the push to develop a fully human body would be approved so soon."

Joseph chuckled good-naturedly. "Come now, old friend, give yourself some credit now and then. And as for Psycha, I'm sure she did her best. Making it to the finals of the Vytal Tournament is no small feat, I am sure."

"We must find a suitable donor for the Aura transfer," Sigmund continued, ignoring Joseph altogether. "And it must be done discreetly, of course. With the model's current specifications, I hypothesize the most efficient specimen would be a young fe-"

He was interrupted by an angry yell from somewhere in the hall behind him. A second later, the door burst open, and Psycha stomped into the room with her fists clenched and teeth gritted. A security guard ran in after her. "P-Professor Ozmov! Professor Polendina! Please forgive me!" he stammered. "I tried to stop her, but she-"

"Dad!" Psycha snarled. "I-" she stopped herself, her voice suddenly breaking off as she hung her head down pathetically. There was a moment of dead silence.

"...What is it, girl?" Sigmund asked dispassionately, not looking in his daughter's direction. "Speak. Or has your tongue become as feeble as your mind?"

"I...perhaps I should go," Joseph Polendina said, shooting a hesitant look at Psycha. "I need to go pick up Penny from school. I'll see you tomorrow, Sig." As he passed by him on his way out the room, he whispered "Don't be too harsh on her _"_ in his friend's ear. After a moment, the security guard nervously left the scene as well.

Father and daughter were the only ones remaining. "You shouldn't be here," Sigmund finally said.

"Dad…" Psycha sobbed. She looked up at her father, eyes full of tears. He was still standing with his back to her. "I tried my best. Even though you were always busy, a-and it made Mom so sad...y-you still helped me any way you could, and I got so close, but…" her voice cracked, and she gave a pathetic sniffle, snot dribbling from her nose. "I'm..I'm sorry…"

Sigmund gave a heavy sigh, and finally turned to face her, a look of utter disdain on his face. "I don't need your apologies. I need results, and you failed to deliver once again. Thus, you no longer have anything to offer me."

"But-"

"When you begged me to let you be a Huntress, I allowed it, since it was your mother's wish as well. After that foolish woman had drunk herself to death, I took care of your needs. When you were failing your courses, I used my connections to propel you to the top of your grade. I even helped you unlock your Semblance, and gave you the perfect weapon to utilize it. And even still, you have nothing to show for it." The professor's voice was tinted with scorn as he glanced down upon his daughter's kneeling form. "And you wonder why I want nothing to do with you anymore?"

He didn't wait for her reply, and turned back around to face the pod. "No matter. Prototype B0-BL was a success. I have no more need for it, so you can keep it. Consider it a gift, if you will. Now, get out of my sight."

Silently, Psycha got up and, holding back her tears, made her way out of the room.

It was about an hour later that she found herself back in that wretched building, Shade Academy, filled with unworthy lowlifes and degenerates. Just being in the same vicinity as all those mediocre peasants for three years had nearly driven her mad, but it had been worth it in the end. It would all be worth it...that was was Psycha had believed.

When she opened the room to Team PLSM's dorm, she saw Locke sprawled out on his bed, rummaging through a pin-up magazine with a moronic grin on his face. Storm and Moss sat in front of the TV playing _Grimm vs Hunters 2: The Reckoning._ Empty beer bottles were strewn all across the floor.

"Ahaha! Tough luck, Moss!" Storm laughed as his King Taijitu strangled Moss' Archer-class Huntsman and crushed his head, popping it like a crimson red balloon. As she watched, Psycha imagined the bowsman's head replaced with Summer Rose's. "Looks like you owe me fifty Lien!"

Moss was shaking her head. "I still have a higher KD ratio," she pointed out. "You're the one who has to pay up." She and Storm were focused on the TV screen, and Locke was still ogling some bikini-clad supermodel who probably had anorexia. None of them had noticed their leader's arrival.

Psycha stomped into the room, and immediately thrust out her foot and smashed the television screen with a sickening _crash._ Storm and Moss both yelped in indignation and surprise. "Ps-sycha?" Moss asked, her eye widening in astonishment. "Oi, what the fuck was that about, huh?!" Storm yelled.

Their leader didn't answer. She simply grabbed whatever was in her proximity - a bottle, a textbook, anything - and flung it against the wall with all her might, screaming furiously. She herself couldn't make out what she was saying - all she registered was her own venomous fury and the sound of glass breaking all around her.

"Psycha, c'mon!" Locke ran up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Look, losing sucks and all, and it's pretty un-heroic, but that's no reason to throw a tantrum. Just..calm down, ok?" Psycha just shoved him away, and struck him in the face, savagely, with a beer bottle. Locke fell on his back, bleeding from his forehead, and behind her she heard Moss scream.

"'Calm down'? Is that all you have to say?" Psycha screamed. "You're all useless anyway. You've never done anything or gotten anywhere without me carrying you. None of you have any right to tell me what to do! Maybe if I'd been on a team that wasn't made of worthless, simpering morons, this wouldn't have happened to me!"

She heard a loud sigh from somewhere behind her. "...What an eyesore," a familiar voice said. It was Harriet, standing in the doorway, having seemingly appeared from nowhere.

"...You." Psycha walked up to the Faunus, her face clenched in hatred. "You promised me that I'd win! I've had to put up with you ordering me around like a stupid animal for too damn long! I bet all you've been doing is holding me back, not helping me! That's it, isn't it? Well, I don't give a shit about your stupid 'Grandmaster' nonsense anymore - I don't _need_ you anymore!" She reached out to grab her throat.

Harriet easily swatted her hand aside, as a set of sharp steel claws jutted out from her arm gauntlet, almost piercing Psycha's throat. She aimed her claws at the other girl, expression unmoved. "'Need' me? You overestimate yourself," she said, as an aura of dark energy emanated from her arm. "I'm afraid that you still have a part to play in all this - and you _will_ go along obediently."

"And why the hell would we do that?" Storm asked angrily, sparks flying from his body.

"Because you've already seen what my master is capable of giving you. Surely you are all aware of your own weaknesses...and in this unfair world, those weaknesses prevent you from achieving any of your dreams. What you need is a teacher to nurture you, and grant you the ability to fulfill your heart's desires. To become a hero who opposes the corrupt and powerful…" Harriet nodded at Locke, who had gotten to his feet, coughing up blood. "...to find the strength to protect those close to you…" she turned to Storm. "...and to be accepted as an equal by others." She smiled at Moss.

"I…" Psycha muttered, her gaze turned away from the rabbit Faunus. She wanted to strike her, to make that bitch know her place, to show her how foolish she was for thinking she could ever control or tempt her. _I don't need...a teacher...I can do everything on my own…!_ But she didn't move, and her mouth felt as dry as sandpaper.

"You still have a chance - all of you. To be strong, and to be feared," Harriet murmured, her voice a gentle whisper. "Accept my offer, and the Grandmaster will welcome you with open arms."


	43. Past and Future

**Chapter 18: Past and Future**

 _Patch Island_

"And? And?" Autumn asked eagerly, her amber eyes opening up so wide it seemed they would pop right out of their sockets. "What happened next?" Her little feet were trembling with excitement as they stood precariously on the edge of her seat.

Summer smiled at the young girl's enthusiasm. "Well, I'd like to say I fought off all those Grimm by myself, but the truth is I got overwhelmed within seconds. I was just about ready to give up, but as luck would have it, Qrow showed up just in time." She chuckled at the memory, before continuing with her story. "That would've been embarrassing...to get killed during initiation."

"Heh heh heh…" Autumn giggled. "That's so cute, mommy! And then the two of you became best, best friends, right?"

"N...not immediately. It took some time to get used to him….or, um, for him to get used to me? Either way, we didn't exactly hit it off from the start, but eventually we learned to get along." _Oops. I made it sound like we're some old married couple._ Summer sighed, expecting a fresh barrage of teasing from Autumn in the coming days.

Suddenly, Autumn put up her hands, and clasped in her fingers was a large medallion with a lotus pattern. "Look what I found in your cupboard today!" she laughed. "This is what you got for winning the tournament last year, right? It looks really pretty!" She tried to spin it on her fingertip, but it fell off.

"D-don't touch that!" Summer quickly reached out and grabbed the medallion before it could fall to the floor. "Whew," she muttered, gently brushing it as she glanced at Autumn with a look of sharp disapproval. "How many times have I told you not to look around in my stuff, young lady?" she asked sternly. "This medallion is an important piece of Remnant's history!"

In truth, it likely had no real monetary value. At the end of the school year, Team STRQ had agreed to split their winnings from the Vytal Festival Tournament - one hundred thousand Lien equated to twenty-five thousand for each of them. Qrow had protested at first, claiming that the money should be divided based on overall contribution to the team, but Raven and Tai were quick to point out that that would leave him with the least of them all. He had no further objections after that.

It was unanimously agreed that Summer should keep both the trophy and the medallion, as both their leader and the one who had won them the final match. She glanced over to the cupboard across the room, where the beautiful, ornately-crafted trophy sat behind a pane of glass, slowly collecting dust. And on the table beside it, the picture of her team, standing tall and proud after their victory.

 _This is our last year, huh?_ Of course she'd always known that, but it was as if the realization was only just setting in. Soon, Summer Rose and her teammates would no longer be students. They would be genuine Huntsmen, and the whole world would be open to them. No longer would they have adults to rely on for help - because they would _be_ those adults themselves. Just the thought of all the possibilities ahead of her was making her head spin.

Summer's thought process was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "Stay here, I'll get it," she said to Autumn as she got up. She walked over to the door, placing the medallion back in its cabinet as she passed by. _Could it be Tai? Or maybe Qrow and Raven,_ she thought as she put her hand on the doorknob. She didn't get many visitors other than her teammates and the occasional door-to-door salesman.

Excited, she opened the door. The person waiting outside wasn't Tai, nor was it either of the Branwen twins.

It was Luka Branwen.

Summer blinked, her mouth opening in surprise. "Oh…" she gasped, staring at the thin, bespectacled man that stood before her,shivering slightly in the cold. Small piles of snow had gathered on his hair and shoulders. "Professor Branwen? I...this is really a surprise."

"Miss Rose." Luka smiled at her, giving a brisk nod as his gaze moved around the small house in the middle of the forest. "You've certainly found yourself a nice place, haven't you? Is it alright if I come in? I could use a good cup of hot chocolate to warm my nerves."

Summer nodded. "O-of course." She gestured inside the house, letting the old archeologist in. He sighed in relief as he entered the heat-conditioned interior, brushing off some snow onto the welcome mat. "Ahh, that's much better," Luka muttered.

"Mommy! Who is it?" Autumn was practically charging down the hall toward them. "...Huh?" she careened to halt at the sight of the unfamiliar man. "Um...who's this? I-I don't recognize him…"

"Don't worry about it- he's a friend," Summer reassured the girl. Autumn glanced up at Luka, her amber eyes still clouded in suspicion. "H-hello, mister."

Luka smiled kindly at her, leaning down to give her a casual pat on the head. "Well hello, little one. I believe you must be Autumn, yes? Qrow told me about you...it seems you're every bit as precious as he said."

"Qrow? Oh!" Autumn's face broke out into a wide grin. "You must be Qrow and Raven's dad, right? You have the same hair and eyes!"

"Hah, quite the observation skills you have, young lady. But alas, I'm not that fortunate. I'm their uncle, Professor Branwen - but please, call me Luka." He pulled himself a seat, glancing around the interior of Summer's house as she prepared some hot chocolate for the three of them. "You know, I never got the chance to properly congratulate you for your stupendous victory during the tournament. I had a feeling, you know, from the moment I met you, that you were capable of great things."

"Oh...thanks, Professor," Summer said, flushing slightly red at the sudden praise. She watched the water kettle boil on the stove, while behind her she heard Luka and Autumn converse like good friends.

"Are you a Huntsman too, Mr. Luka?" Autumn asked, excitement in her voice. The professor let out a chuckle. "No, no, I'm afraid I was never quite fit for that occupation. But while others were busy training their bodies, I trained my mind. I know quite a bit about the world from my travels - things that a child like you might benefit from knowing. For instance, the financial stability of a Huntsman operating out of Vale is roughly five percent lower than that of…" Luka continued, but Summer had lost interest.

Once she had poured the boiling water into three cups and stirred the cocoa powder and sugar into the mix, Summer carried the tray to her table and laid it in front of Autumn and her guest. "Thank you very much. I rather needed this after that long walk," said Luka, taking a generous sip of his drink.

"So, um, what brings you here, Professor?" Summer asked.

"Mm, little more than a casual visit. I came to Patch to do some research, and I remembered you lived in the area." As he spoke, his eyes moved over to something behind her. "Ah, pardon me for asking, but...are you religious, Miss Rose?"

"Huh?" Summer was taken aback. "Um, not really. Why…?" She turned to see what Luka was staring at - an oil painting hung up on her wall, depicting the Two Brothers creating humanity. The gods were standing with her hands out, touching a large silver orb that was shooting four bright comets in various directions. "Oh...that's just something pretty I bought with my tournament winnings. I don't really believe in that old story or anything."

"I see." Luka smiled at the painting. "And you're quite right - it is a lovely piece of work. It's fascinating, isn't it? That we, as humans, pour such love and passion into honouring deities that might not even exist. In fact, I would argue their dedication to their craft shows more of their own merits, rather than that of these 'gods'."

"...I guess so," said Summer, sitting down and taking a sip of cocoa.

Autumn slurped her drink, the warm liquid dribbling down her chin and onto the table. "I love the Tale of The Two Brothers! It's so sweet that they put aside their differences in the end and worked together to create the world!" she said happily. "It's my favourite fairy tale!"

"A fairy tale…" Luka chuckled. "That's a good way of putting it. "Beautiful and uplifting, but ultimately fiction. Tales to comfort children." A hint of disdain entered his normally kindly voice as he said that last bit. "But then again, finding someone who is truly religious is rare nowadays. I have confidence that one day, our society will move past this foolish phase."

Afterward, the conversation turned to more casual topics. Summer's immediate plans after graduating from Beacon (she honestly wasn't sure), if Autumn intended to go to Signal Academy next year, once she was of age ("Yes!", the girl agreed enthusiastically) and other banter. It was almost sundown when Luka finally watched looked at his watch and exclaimed, "My goodness, would you look at the time? I'm afraid I must be on my way now - and I'm truly sorry to have intruded on your free time."

"No, no, it's really fine," Summer said, smiling. "It was good to have you over, Professor."

Luka made his way to the front door, waving back to her as he walked out. "Give Qrow and Raven my regards when you see them, won't you? Let them know their poor old uncle's still looking out for them." He closed the door behind him.

"He's such a nice man," Autumn smiled. "Hey mommy, wanna train now?" Since the break had started, Summer had begun teaching the girl how to wield a bow just like her, in preparation for enrolling at Signal.

"Hmm, it's a bit late, but...alright," Summer conceded. "But just for a short while, ok?"

And so she spent the next twenty or so minutes throwing snowballs into the air, while Autumn tried shooting them out of the sky with a wooden bow that Summer had made for her. Every time she managed to hit one, Summer cheered for her, and gave the girl one of her homemade cookies. At some point, it devolved into a snowball fight that ended with both of them lying in the snow, laughing.

"Okay, that's enough," Summer chuckled, getting up and picking Autumn up, brushing snow out of her hair. "I don't want you to catch a cold, you know. Let's get in and have some dinner. How does spaghetti and meatballs sound?" Grinning from ear to ear, the girl nodded her head in agreement.

 _Once I graduate, I'll be able to spend all of my time taking care of her,_ Summer thought. She was looking forward to it. Those thoughts made her think of Beacon, and her teammates. _I can't wait to see them again. Raven, Tai, and…_ She paused for a moment as a glowing warmth made its way up her body and into her face. After a moment, she realized that she was blushing. Summer shook her head and, carrying Autumn in her arms, made her way into the house.

From up above, perched in a tree, the young boy watched the two of them walk out of sight. "So that's how it is, huh…" Rok muttered, a mischievous smile on his face. "Now _this_ will be interesting."

* * *

 _Beacon Academy_

The fourth and final year at Beacon passed by all too soon. Summer was pleasantly surprised, and just a tad disappointed - perhaps she'd become far too accustomed to foiling evil plots and uncovering conspiracies over her time at the academy. But it wasn't long before she embraced this newfound peace, just going from class to class, day by day, where the most dangerous thing she had to worry about was handing in assignments on time, and maintaining a good average in her classes.

Of course, the one thing that hadn't changed at all was that she had her friends beside her to help her get through it all. Every time she had trouble with a question on her homework, Raven would be there with the answers for her to hastily copy down. On break, she and Tai would spar together in the training room, where Summer kept improving her close combat skills and Tai learned to better fight a long-range opponent. She found herself spending more and more time with Qrow, working together on late-night studying - which usually ended in them getting off-track one way or another - or going shopping on the weekends.

And as the days passed, Summer could see the difference in her friends' behaviour toward each other. She couldn't pin down exactly when it had become common knowledge, but at some point the whole academy (or at least those who cared) knew that Raven Branwen and Taiyang Xiao Long were dating. Qrow was, of course, nonplussed by this, and Summer herself felt a tinge of envy when she saw the two of them together. _If I'd been bolder, maybe I'd be the one holding his hand right now,_ she would tell herself. She got over it soon enough, though it was still awkward to wander into the dorm after hours and catch the two of them making out.

All too quickly, the final stretch of the school year arrived. In just a couple weeks, all of the fourth-year students would be taking their final exams, to determine if they were truly ready for their lives as full Huntsmen. Every day, fewer students showed up to class, electing to stay in their dorms and cram as much knowledge as they could into their heads, or train until their arms and legs turned to jelly.

And so it was that Summer found herself in the training room with her feet strapped in place with metal chains, while being bombarded from all directions with bullets, laser beams and knives. Team HTHR had made her into their personal training target, with Heather, Regal and Herman shooting at her mercilessly, and Torrence watching serenely in the back. Summer swiftly moved her bow around, shooting as many projectiles as she could, nearly giving herself whiplash in the process.

Of course, with everything flying at her all at once, it was impossible to block everything. "Ow! Ow! O-okay, that's enough!" she yelped as her body was pelted with gunfire, her Aura struggling to absorb the damage. Team HTHR ceased their assault, and Heather undid the straps on Summer's legs. The moment she was free, Summer fell forward, her face hitting the cold floor. "...Ow."

"Not bad, not bad," Regal grinned, picking his knives off the floor and wiping them with a silk handkerchief. "I'd expect nothing less from Miss Champion herself."

"Uh...did we hurt you that bad?" Herman asked anxiously, gingerly poking Summer as she lay face-first on the floor. "Helloooo….? Answer me?"

"Yeah...I'm fine," she groaned, pulling herself back up.

"You really did do well, though," said Heather, smiling. She stayed by Summer's side as her teammates retreated to their locker room. "I'm sure you'll do just fine on the exam. I must admit, I find it hard to believe you're the same shy girl I met on initiation day, nearly four years ago." She reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "On another note, I received this letter today. It's from my sister, Aurora. I honestly thought I'd never hear from her again!"

Heather showed Summer the envelope's contents - a photograph and a piece of browning parchment with neat, cursive handwriting inscribed on it. _Hello, Heather! I hope you're doing well! I'm sorry that I haven't been home lately, but I promise I'll be back soon. Shall I treat you to one of your favourite cocktails when I return? I have so much I want to tell you. Your dear sister, Aurora._ "Ha. 'Haven't been home lately'." Heather chuckled, a hint of bitterness in her tone. "I suppose she's so busy she thinks five years is a short time…"

The photo showed a much younger Heather, smiling next to a girl that Summer guessed was Aurora Fox. She was incredibly beautiful, with long, golden hair flowing majestically down her back, smooth pale skin, and bright eyes as blue as a clear sky. She had one of those rare smiles that immediately brought comfort to anyone to whom it was directed, and it let you know that everything was going to be alright. Summer found herself staring at her - there was no doubt in her mind. This was the girl who had spoken at her old school, all those years ago.

"Well, at any rate, we might as well head to Grimm Studies class. We'll likely be the only ones there, so we'll have a free study period!" Taking the envelope back, Heather left the training room, humming cheerfully to herself. In a slight daze, Summer followed her.

She hadn't had the heart to tell Heather the truth about her father. Assuming she'd even believe her, it wouldn't help in any way. If anything, it would just crush the other girl's spirits. And Summer wanted to keep Heather out of this conflict - especially now that family was involved.

As Heather predicted, the classroom was mostly empty. In front of row upon row of unoccupied seats, Professor Port stood chatting with, of all people, Ozpin. Herman, Regal and Torrence were already seated, chatting about the upcoming exams. Heather bid Summer a quick farewell and went to join her teammates, while Summer went over to where her own team was waiting for her.

Raven was leaning on Tai's shoulder while reading her book. Qrow noticed his partner arriving, and waved to her with a grin. "Hey, about time you showed up," he greeted her as she took her seat. "You're not lookin' so good. Did Heather kick your ass again?"

"I'm fine," Summer replied, though her chest and shoulders were indeed still aching from the pain. "So, did I miss anything?"

"Nah. Port's just rambling off as usual." Qrow stretched his legs out onto the table in front of him and yawned. "Then again, I wouldn't bother coming here if it weren't for the funny shit he spouts all the time." Sure enough, Professor Port was currently recounting an outlandish tale of how, as a first-year student, he had wrestled an Ursa Major to death with his bare hands, before ripping its head off and mounting it on his wall.

"In my dreams, I can still hear its terrible scream haunting me!" Port said, his voice booming around the classroom. "But a Huntsman must never remain in the past. He must look forward, and face all the obstacles the future throws at him, with his head held high!" He enthusiastically struck a superhero pose, all the students in the room let out short bursts of laughter.

Beside Port, Professor Ozpin chuckled. "Quite the story, Peter," he said, "though I'm afraid the school's official records contradict your narrative. I'm sure you know that spreading misinformation is against the code of a professor, yes?" There was no malice in his voice, but Port cringed a little as he stroked his thick, golden moustache.

"Your professor is not wrong, though," Ozpin added, his gaze moving over the small clusters of students gathered in their seats. "Now, more than ever, you all must look forward to the future and confront it, hardships and all. I do hope you've all been studying w-"

The headmaster's lecture was cut off by the abrupt sound of the classroom door being shoved open and slamming into the wall. Professor Forrester entered the room, breathing heavily, her normally neat hair in a tangled mess. She glanced wildly around the classroom. "P-Professor Ozpin," she gasped, her words flying out of her shaking mouth. "I-I...it's really bad, and I...I...u-umm, well, this is awkward…"

"...Fie." Frowning, Ozpin turned to face her, his eyes narrowing in concern from the look of sheer panic on his subordinate's face. "Please, calm down. Explain what's troubling you right now. You didn't release Griffons into the auditorium again, did you?"

Forrester shook her head. "No. It's…" She took a deep breath, regaining her composure as she continued. "We just got a report from the Council branch in Vacuo...and things don't look pretty. Looks like you were right, Headmaster - about everything. We need to get over there, and fast."

She turned her gaze to the students, who were all staring at her in confused apprehension. "I hate to ask this, but would anyone like to accompany us?" she asked. "Preferably someone who's not afraid to die?"

* * *

 **60+ YEARS AGO…**

 _Vacuo Dust Mines_

"This is what we've been fighting for, men! Everything has been leading up to this one moment! It's time we show those scumbags what it means to defy our law! Remember, above all, to _show no mercy_!" The officer raised his rifle into the air and fired. "For the glory of Mantle!" He howled, and beneath him, his men repeated the cry. "For Mantle! For Mantle! _FOR MANTLE!"_

Their cries continued, unwavering, as they marched in uniform motion out of their camp. General Desmond Onyx watched his men with pride rising in his heart. Hundreds of his soldiers, bearing the signature white uniform of Mantle's army, were marching side by side with men and women clothed in bright blue armour - garments from a Mistralian forge. The Kingdoms of Mantle and Mistral had constantly disagreed with each other over the size of their orders, their cultures, and other political matters. Even before the war had begun, they'd fought against each other more than any man could care to count.

Yet today, men of both Mantle and Mistral were marching alongside each other like family. The colour of their uniforms was irrelevant to the fact that they were fighting for the same great cause. To General Onyx, who had spent more of his life in battle than outside of it, this seemed like nothing short of a miracle.

Hope and determination filling his heart, Onyx returned to his own company. "Remember the plan," he yelled to the soldiers, who were standing at attention before him. "We'll rendezvous with General Soma at the entrance, then move in. Target the central digging spots of the mines - wherever you can find Dust." He slammed his finger down on various marked points on the map. "We need to destroy it - all of it. And that'll attract our enemies...so keep an eye out for them, and kill them before they can kill you!" He raised his voice. " _DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"_

" _Sir, yes sir!"_ His men shouted in reply. With their general leading them, they began to march along with the rest of the battalion. The soldiers made their way out of the camp and into the treacherous desert. As if fate herself were against them, a terrible sandstorm had begun roaring mere minutes before their march began. The soldiers blocked out the raging, sandy winds with their helmets and goggles, but those who had been careless enough to leave their equipment back at camp were out of luck. Crying and whimpering could be heard even through the wind, of tired men who just wanted to return home to their families. Yet even so, the battalion marched on, with not a single soldier straying from his duty.

Onyx marched at the front of it all, taking the brunt of the storm as he clenched his teeth, moving step by agonized step toward his destination. So it seemed that luck would not be on his side today - but Lady Luck could go and fuck herself. He had his team with him - people he knew would fight not only for him, but with him. For every single one of them, he could remember their full name, the town they'd been born in, whether they were married, and every job they'd ever had. These men and women were his family, and they were the best team Onyx could ask for.

After what felt like an eternity, Onyx's forces reached the entrance to the Dust mines. About a hundred more men stood waiting for them, saluting as their comrades approached. The one leading them, a tall, thin man with a sleek black beard and bushy eyebrows, walked toward Onyx as a wrinkled hand emerged from his robe. "Desmond. I see you're right on time, as always."

"Same to you, Yi." Smiling, Onyx shook the other general's hand. Yi Soma, the grand general of Mistral's army, was a man of renowned achievement and ability, even among his enemies. Onyx had first met him in battle, in the Mantle-Mistral conflict five years ago. A silly, meaningless battle over some inconsequential land on Mistral's border. He had been but a colonel then, and he had personally slaughtered dozens of Soma's men. Yet now, the two of them greeted each other like lifelong friends.

"This moment has been a long time coming, hasn't it?" Soma chuckled, giving him a hearty slap on the back. "I must admit, I'm saddened that this will be the last battle of our partnership. The next time we meet, we could very well be enemies again."

"Now, now, no need for such pessimism," Onyx replied. "No matter what side he takes, a warrior's love and respect for his equals will never fade. Now then, it's time we seized glory for our kingdoms!"

The forces of Vacuo had erected a barricade at the entrance to their mines, but the combined forces of the two armies was more than enough to break it down. As the explosives sent Vacuo's final defenses crumbling to dust, the forces of Mantle and Mistral charged into battle, with their generals leading the charge.

The sounds of gunfire rang through the ever-raging storm, sending screams of pain into the air. Clad in their light-brown uniforms, the army of Vacuo tried to blend into the sandy environment to gain the upper hand. But it was fruitless, as they simply found themselves overwhelmed by two vastly larger and more advanced armies. Within minutes, the sands were stained red with blood, and victory seemed imminent.

"Sir!" a young Mistralian ran toward Onyx and Soma as they fought side by side. Onyx recognized him as the son of a carpenter from Shion Village. "What is it, private?" he asked.

"R-Reinforcements - Vale's army is coming to help. And th-that's not all, either. They're being led by-" His body jerked sideways as an arrow struck him in the head, and he fell lifelessly to the ground.

"Damn!" General Soma yelled, turning in the direction of the shot. His fan, comprised of long, blade-like quills, opened outward to reveal a gun barrel, firing at the enemy. "It seems those imbeciles are more persistent than I thought. I fear this won't be so easy, friend!"

Onyx swung his enormous sword, sending a wave of dark electricity charging toward a wave of enemy soldiers. "Relax. We've bested Vale and Vacuo at almost every turn. Even the few victories they've salvaged have come at crippling costs." He chuckled. "What could we possibly have to fear?"

The answer to that question stood at the head of Vale's forces as they emerged boldly from the clouds of sand and blood. Every man who saw him recognized him immediately. The crown that lay upon his head. The viridian cape billowing in the wind. The scepter lodged in his belt. And the golden blade he held in his hands. "...Him?" Soma gasped. "The king of Vale himself is leading the charge? What madness would possess him to put his own life on the line…?"

"How opportune!" Onyx grinned. "Once their king has fallen, Vale will be ripe for the taking! I will personally see to it that Mantle's king sits upon his throne."

The Atlesian general would soon learn the foolishness of his boast. His men, and that of General Soma's, ran at the king with their weapons raised and their heads held high. Not moving a foot from where he stood, the king swung his sword, and a beam of pure energy flew toward his enemies, piercing through them like knives through butter, killing them in droves. The king swung again, and again. No matter how many men approached, they were all cut down effortlessly. Onyx and Soma could only watch in horror.

Rallied by their king's display of power, the forces of Vale charged into the fray. The men of Mantle and Mistral continued their attack unflinchingly, running to their deaths without a moment's hesitation. The king now raised his scepter, which glowed from its tip with a white energy. Rays of light flew from the weapon, homing in on his enemies and impaling them.

As if things couldn't get worse, the Grimm were coming, attracted by all the death and despair of the battle. Men were being carried off the battlefield in the claws and beaks of Nevermores. _We must end this quickly,_ Onyx thought desperately. "Come! We can take him together!" he shouted at Soma, and the two friends charged at their foe.

The king saw them coming, and raised his scepter to intercept them. Onyx and Soma deflected the projectiles, but their approach was slowed. With the size of his blade, Onyx could hold off the rays of light by simply holding his weapon ahead of him and charging. Soma, however, was not so fortunate. His old age had caught up to him, and several strikes to his vital points took out his Aura. Finally, it was not an attack from the king of Vale, but a stray arrow from somewhere off in the distance that finally felled the grand general.

And so, Onyx was left to face the king alone. His enemy swung his accursed blade, sending an energy beam in Onyx's direction. The general brought his sword down, creating a dark forcefield around him that nullified the blast.

"...Impressive," the king murmured. His voice was soft, almost meek - unbefitting of a great ruler of nations. "You have Blackstorm Dust encased in your blade? That must take untold amounts of Aura to simply keep it from self-destructing, let alone wield it. As expected from the general of Atlas."

Silently, Onyx pointed his sword at the king, his face clenched in murderous rage. "So you know me, hmm? Even so, allow me to introduce myself, vile king. I am Desmond Onyx, warrior of the Atlesian army. I am father and brother to every good man you and your allies have slain, and it is for their sake that I will spill your blood!" His sword began rumbling with electric energy, black sparks flying off the edges. "My men and I came this far together, all of us - human, Faunus, Atlesian, Mistralian - united under a single banner! And we will _never_ let your evil forces triumph!"

The king only smiled. "Hah…" he chuckled. "Well spoken." And he came at him, sword in hand.

The two warriors fought, each clash of their blades ringing through the ears of every man on the battlefield, the aftershocks producing enough energy to kill nearby men and Grimm. The king swung his blade faster than any man Onyx had ever seen. He could not possibly parry him, so he raised his own blade to block his enemy's attacks. The moment the king stumbled slightly, Onyx swung his blade, crackling with the dark lightning, at full force. To his dismay, the king simply raised his sword defensively, and despite it being a toothpick in comparison to Onyx's blade, it stopped his strike completely. _How…?_ Onyx thought, despairing as he felt his strength whittle away, bit by bit. _How can one man be this powerful?_

Finally, the king swung his sword again, and this time Onyx was not fast enough. The blade pierced through his chest, stopping inches from his beating heart. "Ugh-!" he grunted, falling to his knees as his sword fell from his hand. As his vision grew blurry, he heard the screams of his men all around him. "General Onyx lost? It can't be!" "It's over!" "P-please! We surrender!"

"...You fought well." Removing his sword, the king knelt down to face his fallen foe. "Had you fought at the height of your strength, our battle may have ended differently."

Onyx was coughing up blood, feeling his life draining away. It wasn't the blade that was killing him; he had survived wounds like this before. Something, some strange force was running havoc inside his body, eating him from the inside out. Was the blade poisoned? _I cannot...die here…_ He looked up, and saw the king raise his scepter. Onyx closed his eyes, waiting for death.

But death never came. The king touched Onyx's forehead with the scepter, and he felt the pain fade away. All sensations left his body at once, and it took all his willpower to not lose consciousness. "There, that's better," said the king. "Come. I know a worthy ally when I see one. With your army's defeat, this war is finally over. Together, we can usher in a time of peace." He held out his hand to Onyx.

 _Together? What would you know about working together?_ Onyx felt sensation returning to his body - namely, fury. _You never needed allies...your strength alone was enough to ruin everything we worked toward!_ He opened his mouth to refuse.

Suddenly, he heard a voice. _Take his hand…_ Someone whispered into his ear. _Earn his trust...and when he turns his back to you, you can take him down. I can grant you that chance...and all you must do is swear allegiance to me._

"I...I will," Onyx said hoarsely, taking the Vale king's hand. He stared his enemy directly in the face, his eyes betraying nothing. _One day,_ he swore. _One day I will destroy you, and this foolish 'peace' you hold so dear._

And so it was that the Great War, the most deadly conflict in recorded history, came to a surprising end. The king of Vale had the chance to unite the entire world of Remnant under his banner, but he refused, leaving the other Kingdoms independent, and abolishing the monarchies. He organized the signing of the peace treaty on Vytal Island, where he and the other leaders agreed on distribution of land. Then, the king granted the continent of Menagerie to the Faunus, out of respect for their contributions during the war. He also founded the four Huntsman Academies, one for each Kingdom, to train the warriors of the future.

But there was another purpose to the Academies - each of them guarded one of the four grand relics owned by the king, said to contain unimaginable power. Onyx, who was appointed as Atlas Academy's headmaster, was one of the few privy to this knowledge. As headmaster, he insisted that his Kingdom continue to expand its military, while the other three became soft, slowly lessening their reliance on the army as Huntsmen and other mercenaries became the more favoured option. Eventually, Mantle was left as the only Kingdom with a dedicated army.

And it was around this time when he first made contact with the Dark Queen, Salem. She whispered her plans into his ear, telling him secrets that even the king would never confide to his allies. Armed with knowledge from both sides, Onyx bided his time, waiting for his chance.

Many, many years had passed. The Kingdom of Mantle had become the Kingdom of Atlas. Onyx had trained that promising youth, Argent Fox, ultimately appointing him to his former position. And even that almighty king was long gone now.

"...Then we must strike at once. This may well be our last chance." Old Headmaster Onyx spoke, stroking his white beard. In front of him, Colonel Ironwood stood solemnly at attention.

"Understood. Still, to think Thane would be planning such a thing," Ironwood muttered. "I'd never have imagined he would collaborate with terrorists. And trying to overthrow the Council? It's unbelievable!"

Onyx sighed. "Maybe it was inevitable...I suppose the pressure of leadership was simply too much for that pathetic man. But there's nothing else to do. Argent and his forces are already poised to strike. Now, go provide their support before it's too late." Nodding curtly, the young colonel left the office.

"...Hah. Foolish boy," the headmaster smiled to himself. "He believed every word we said to him. They really don't make them the way they used to. Well, that will change after today…" Chuckling, Onyx took a sip of his tea.

* * *

 _Oasis District, Kingdom of Vacuo_

It was an ordinary day in the Oasis district. A group of young Huntsmen were gathered in the city square, chatting and hitting on attractive women who passed by. They didn't have anything in particular to do at the moment, but work would resume soon. Without a dedicated military, the Kingdom of Vacuo relied heavily on its Huntsmen to distribute justice.

Suddenly, they heard a shout in the distance. The civilians in the area also turned in the direction it came from. Several rows of men, clad in white metal plating and wielding rifles, strolled silently into view. People began whispering in concern - Atlesian soldiers weren't a rare sight in Oasis, especially since the Soulcage Project had begun, but they didn't usually intrude into public space like this. Something was wrong.

"Hey," one of the Huntsmen greeted the soldiers. "You guys alright? Need help with something?" The man didn't respond. "Uh...hello?"

The soldier in the center raised his hand ominously, before pointing his finger directly at the Huntsman. "General's orders!" he shouted. "Take them out!" The other soldiers raised their weapons. Several people screamed, but they were too late to do anything.

The sound of gunfire filled the air...


	44. Family Reunion

**Chapter 19: Family Reunion**

 _Vacuo Border, 20 000 ft in the Air_

High in the sky, the Atlesian air carrier soared at full speed toward the Kingdom of Vacuo. In the main cabin of the aircraft, the tension in the atmosphere could be cut with a knife. The members of Team STRQ and Team HTHR sat in opposite rows of seats, glancing at each other in apprehension. There was complete silence, other than the humming of the ship's engine emanating through the room, adding to the oppressive mood.

The cabin door flew open without warning, causing Summer to jump in her seat. Professor Forrester walked in, scepter in hand. "We'll be there in a few minutes," she said, her normally chirpy voice now a low, anxious murmur. "I'd say there's still a chance for you all to back out but...well…" she shrugged. "You folks aren't the type of people who'd give up on anything, anyway."

"Professor, is this really true?" Heather asked, her fists clenched as she stared downward. "You can't possibly suggest that my father would attack innocent civilians. It's absurd!" The girl's voice was shaking, almost crackling with anger. Her teammates shifted uncomfortably in their seats, not used to seeing their leader so flustered. "It doesn't make any sense! What reason would Atlas have for trying to occupy Vacuo?"

The professor sighed. "I...get that this is really troubling for you, but it's the truth. The headmaster has been suspecting that this might happen for a quite a while now...guess we should've listened to him." A beeping sound coming from the window caught her attention. "Ah, looks like we're landing now."

Images were being projected onto the window's surface, depicting the streets of Vacuo below them. _This can't be happening,_ Summer thought, horrified, as she saw pillars of smoke rising from ruined houses in the various sun-tanned villages, and in the Oasis district, people being handcuffed and hoarded en-masse into aircrafts by soldiers clad in Atlesian garb. The bodies of Huntsmen and civilians lay scattered across the ground, eerily still.

"Holy shit…" Tai muttered, stunned at the gruesome sight in front of him. "Why would Atlas' army do this?" Fie Forrester simply looked away from him, not answering his question.

As they approached the airport, the video feedback on the window displayed a group of soldiers gathered around several large carriers, which began to take off after several hostages had been loaded onto them. Along with the soldiers, several men wearing an unfamiliar garb were watching the process take place, with some of them boarding the crafts themselves.

 _Who are those people?_ Leaning in to get a closer look, Summer saw that they were clad in black gear with red highlights, with strange white masks carved in the shape of Grimm covering their faces. Beside her, she saw Raven stiffen in her seat. "I-it can't be…" she muttered.

"What's wrong?" Tai asked her, looking concerned.

She quickly shook her head in denial. "Nothing," she replied briskly. "I don't think it will be easy for us to land with so many enemies waiting for us."

"You're right about that," Fie agreed. As she spoke, the floor beneath them began to shake. "I hope all of you still remember your super-duper landing strategies from all the way back during your initiation, because now you're going to be using them again. Let's do our best to not die, shall we?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. At their feet, a large hatch opened, dropping them all into the sky below. Summer let out a yelp as the roaring wind blew her cloak into her face, obscuring her view, and she felt the nauseating rush of being thrust into freefall. Hastily shoving the white cloth away, she saw that she was quickly falling toward the ground, and she'd certainly lose all her Aura if she crash-landed at her current speed.

"Hey!" She turned her head to see Qrow falling next to her. "I don't know if our initiation was a good thing to bring up," he said with a slight grin. "You didn't exactly have the best landing back then, did you? Think you'll need me to save your ass again?"

Summer smiled despite herself. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that. I'll see you on the ground!" Qrow nodded, and transformed into a bird, soaring toward their foes below. Taking a deep breath, Summer drew her bow and readied an explosive arrow, firing it at the ground once she was close enough, breaking her fall and taking out several Atlesian soldiers in the process.

As if on instinct, she made a quick roll as she hit the ground before switching to her swords, incapacitating two more soldiers before they could react. One of the strange masked men came at her, wielding a longsword. Without uttering a sound, he swung his blade at her with immense skill, and Summer barely avoided him by taking cautious steps backward, before parrying one of his swings and disarming him. Summer brought her swords down, but he deftly caught her blades in his fingers, not flinching as they seared through his Aura and gave off sparks of red energy.

Summer pulled the triggers on the gunblades, and streams of bullets cut into the man's hands, causing him to let go and stumble backward. She changed back to bow form, and finished him off with an explosive arrow. _Phew._ She paused to take a deep breath. Whoever these masked people were, they were a far cry above regular foot soldiers.

The rest of the squad had landed by now. Heather and Herman combined their attacks to launch a flurry of icy bullets at the enemy, Torrence brought his switch-axe down in a wide shockwave, and Regal flung several poison-laced combat knives into the soldiers' vital points. A portal opened in front of a group of the soldiers, and Raven and Tai leapt out, quickly incapacitating the last of them.

Another row of the Atlesian foot soldiers were approaching now, raising their weapons as they saw the Huntsmen-in-training. "They're kids," Summer heard one of them say, uncertainty in his voice. "Should we really open fire?"

"Argent said to round up _everyone_ ," another soldier replied gruffly. "Orders are orders." They prepared to fire.

Suddenly, the ear-piercing sound of gunfire rang through the air, as a shower of ordnance rained down from above. Fie was falling from the sky, wreaking havoc on the foes below with her assault rifle. The soldiers let out yells of panic as they were all felled one by one by the bullets. Once they were all down, the professor's weapon changed back into a staff, and she gently floated down to the ground by slowing her descent with Gravity Dust. "Good work, all of you," she said cheerfully as she landed. "Oh, and Ozpin should arrive with reinforcements at any moment."

Raven knelt down next to one of the unconscious black-clad men, removing his mask and staring at it without a word. Summer saw her turn to Qrow, and the two siblings exchanged a brief look. _What's that about?_ she wondered, noting that both of them seemed unusually disturbed.

Tai clenched his fists. "These bastards... can't believe the military would do something like this. We've gotta get them out of the Kingdom!"

"You can leave that part to the professors," Fie assured him. "Right now, what you students can do is make sure everyone's safe. I know it never works out in the movies, but splitting up and covering more ground would probably be the best option right now. We should- "

Suddenly, the sound of an airship's engine whirring could be heard from above them. An Atlesian carrier, far larger than the one they'd arrived in, was lowering itself onto the landing pad. The Huntsmen drew their weapons, staring at the ship in nervous anticipation as it landed with a loud _thump._ The entrance hatch opened, and a young man wearing the white coat of a colonel walked out, frowning as he saw the people in front of him.

"...You people," James Ironwood muttered, motioning toward the soldiers gathering behind him. "I assume you've already heard about what Professor Thane is planning to do. Have you come to aid us?"

Qrow stared at him in disbelief. " _Aid_ you? Are you fucking kidding me? You people just declared war on another Kingdom!"

The colonel scowled at him. "Vacuo fired the first shot. General Fox has been surveying the actions of Shade Academy's headmaster for years now. He's confirmed that Thane is planning to seize control of the Council, and stab us Atlesians in the back after all the support we've given them. It is our duty to stop them!"

"The general is deceiving you!" Summer said, pleading with him. It looked like Ironwood was ignorant of what was really going on. "He and Onyx both! They want to take the Kingdom of Vacuo for themselves!"

"Silence! The general is a man of justice - he would never lie to his subordinates! And you would dare speak ill of Headmaster Onyx, a veteran of the Great War and one of our Kingdom's finest heroes? I can't simply forgive that!" His teeth clenched in anger, Ironwood gestured toward Summer's group. "Take them into custody."

The soldiers behind him stepped forward, weapons raised. Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave way, and they fell, screaming, into the large crater that had just been formed. They tried to get back up, but found that their bodies were stuck to the ground, being pushed down by an unseen force. "What's this?" Ironwood yelled indignantly.

"Go!" Fie yelled to her students, holding out her staff as she continued to increase the pull of gravity on the Atlesian soldiers. "I'll get him to stand down. You all go on ahead and make sure all the people are safe - including yourselves, of course!"

Several gunshots rang out from within the crater. "You can't hold us down forever!" Ironwood was calling out from below. "The council will have you stripped of your position for this defiance!"

"Goodness, I sometimes forget how young he is," the professor sighed. "It's actually kind of cute,really. Well, I'm sure he'll learn his lesson someday." She looked back. "What are you waiting for? I said, _go!_ "

Nodding, the eight Huntsmen-in-training turned and ran in the direction of the main city, as more airships flew above them, heading off into the distance. "They're moving toward...the Soulcage," Heather murmured as she glanced at them. "That flying high-security prison Atlas was building…? But why?"

"We can worry about that later!" Tai yelled, pointing in front of him. A group of soldiers were gathered around a crowd of civilians, who huddled together with their heads down and arms tied behind their backs. Some of them tried to fight back, but the soldiers quickly overpowered them and beat them senseless with kicks to the stomach. The sounds of screaming and crying were filling the area, and already some Grimm were being attracted to the despair. A flock of Griffons screeched as they landed on nearby rooftops, while a Nevermore flew ominously up above.

The soldiers were preoccupied with taking down the Grimm, making them easy for the Huntsmen to take out. Heather and Regal ran over to the civilians and began untying them. Herman, Torrence and Team STRQ fought off the Griffons that flew toward the prey, their beaks opened greedily. They charged at them recklessly, without a hint of self-preservation, straight into Summer's arrows or gunfire from any of the other Huntsmen.

Activating his Semblance, Tai's body glowed with golden Aura as he threw punches at the monstrous birds as they approached, volleying them into nearby walls with enough force to shatter concrete, or crushing their heads in with the impact of his blows. Qrow's sword had transformed into its cannon form, and he, Raven and Summer were shooting down the Griffons in droves. Torrence used his switch axe to cleave through any that got too close.

"I-I don't know how long we can hold them off," Herman muttered fearfully, shooting trails of ice from his sniper rifle. "No matter how many we kill, they just keep on coming...hey, what the-?" He looked up, eyes widening, as a large shadow loomed over them.

With a demonic screech, the Nevermore swooped down upon the Huntsmen, its massive beak clamping down on a nearby Atlesian that was desperately firing into its mouth. As it greedily swallowed its meal, Tai and Qrow began pummeling its body with punches and sword strikes, but its feather-coated body was far sturdier than the Griffons. The bird screamed in anger and swung its wings around, knocking the Huntsmen off their feet. It then turned its gaze to the terrified civilians.

"Hyahh!" Taking her chance, Raven leapt onto the Nevermore's back and drove her katana into its back, while Summer shot arrows into its side. Screeching in pain, the beast shook the dark-haired Huntress off and flapped its wings, intending to fly away.

"Oh no you don't!" Regal drew two knives and flung them with expert accuracy into the Nevermore's wings as it soared into the air. The blades jammed themselves into its joints, but it still continued on its flight.

The albino Huntsman reached out his hands and activated his Semblance, summoning two clock-like emblems in front of his palms. The knives retracted themselves from the bird, tearing out the ligaments in its wings and sending the Nevermore falling to its death. "Problem solved," Regal chuckled as his blades flew back into his hands.

Though still a nuisance, there seemed to be less Griffons attacking now; the Nevermore must have been the flock's leader. Qrow paused for a quick breath as he returned Reaper's Gambit to its regular form. "Will these pieces of shit ever give up?" he yelled angrily.

Summer was gasping for breath, too. _This can't be a coincidence._ With Argent and Onyx suddenly deciding to attack the Kingdom, combined with everything else she already knew, there was only one conclusion to be drawn. "All this…" she muttered out loud. "This is the Grandmaster's doing, isn't it?"

"...Heh. No use denying it at this point." A familiar, boyish voice rang out from nearby.

Everyone turned around in surprise. "That voice…" Raven gasped.

A thick cloud of black smog was gathering in front of them, before eventually fading away into the sky, like a Grimm disintegrating. Once it had dissipated, a youthful boy with dark hair and glasses stood in its place, grinning mischievously at the Huntsmen gathered before him. "Well hello! I gotta say, this is one hell of a welcome party."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. "A...child?" Heather asked in bewilderment, lowering her guns hesitantly.

"So it _was_ you," Raven growled, pointing her blade at the boy with an angry flourish. Qrow just stared at him, mouth slightly agape. "...Rags? Is that you?"

Summer recognized the boy immediately. "You were there on the day that Mountain Glenn fell," she murmured, drawing her bow. "Rok, wasn't it?"

The boy who had been known as 'Rok' laughed mirthfully, unflinching in the gaze of the weapons aimed in his direction. "Oh, right. I guess I never properly introduced myself, huh? Let's fix that." He gave them all a mocking bow. "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Ragna Branwen, and I'm currently employed in the service of the Dark Queen, Salem. It's a pleasure to meet you all!"

"Wait, wait - _Branwen_?" Tai snarled, flashing a brief glance at Qrow and Raven beside him. "What the hell is this about? Who the hell are you?"

Ragna Branwen ignored him. "So, I guess it's been a busy day for all of you, huh?" he asked, as if inquiring about a friend's day at work. "Gotta say, I'm impressed! That dumbass Argent sure put in the work on this cesspool, didn't he?"

"You know my father?" Heather asked suddenly, her voice pained. "Why? Why would he do something like this? It would break Sister's heart to know-"

"Father? Sister? Ohh, right, he had two daughters." Ragna shrugged, giving Heather a curious look. "Well, you can relax. Your sister's dead, so there's no need to worry about that."

Heather recoiled. "D-dead? Aurora? That's ridiculous. She just sent me a letter this morning! When could she possibly have died?!"

"You really don't remember? It was about five or six years ago. When your dad put that Ouroboros serum thingy into both of you. Guess he never told you that Aurora didn't, uh, react well to the injection."

"That's not true!" Heather yelled, shaking her head furiously. "I-I remember that time well. We were both proud...proud to help with Father's experiment. Sister was just fine after her dose! It wasn't until later that she...she…"

"Just left?" Ragna suggested mockingly. "Without a trace? And never, ever came back? Heh. That's what I thought. Anyway..." Turning away from her anguished face, he grinned at Qrow and Raven. "It's been a while, hasn't it, cousins? Looks like you've both been doing well."

"You're supposed to be dead!" Qrow yelled, glaring at the younger boy as his sword began transforming into its scythe form. He gripped his weapon tightly, ready to lunge at any moment. "Sis and I thought you died with everyone else when Valhalla was destroyed! And now, all these years later, you turn up alive - and you're working for the bad guys? What the fuck happened to you, Rags?" His screams were attracting more Grimm, which were gradually approaching the area, and would soon surround the group.

Chuckling, the boy raised his hand, and the black smog began materializing around his body again. The Huntsmen began firing at him, but he quickly summoned his enormous scythe, before casually swinging around the black blade to deflect their projectiles. Despite the weapon being almost twice his size, Ragna easily lifted it above his head.

"If you want to know, why not head over to the supermarket on 77 Palm Street? I'll be waiting there, along with someone else I'm sure you'll love to meet. We can all catch up on family matters together! Won't that be sweet?" The smog enveloped him, and his youthful voice was becoming distorted by the dark energy. "Oh, and for the rest of you, the general's waiting in the central square. If you guys want to stop him, you should probably head here. Anyway, see you all later!" The black void faded away, and he was gone.

The Huntsmen all stared at each other, as the silence in the air was broken only by the wretched caws of the Griffons and Nevermores in the distance. Summer opened her mouth to speak, despite being unsure of what to say. "Guys...we…"

"I'm sorry, Summer," said Raven, sheathing her blade as she glanced solemnly at the ground. "I cannot let this opportunity pass me by. I'm going to the location he just proposed - and Brother will come with me." She turned and began walking away.

Tai stared at her, his face aghast. "Rae, c'mon! Whoever that guy was, he's definitely luring you into a trap! There's no way you can trust him, and besides, it's not like he's actually your cousin, right?" Raven didn't respond. "...Rae? Answer me, please!"

"It's alright, Blondie," Qrow muttered. He gave his friend a reassuring pat on the back, before walking over to join his sister. "Besides, you already know that Sis ain't gonna back down from a choice once she's made it. Might as well save your breath." He turned to Summer. "As for you...I bet you're gonna go after the general, right?"

Summer nodded. "Yeah. If you two really think you need to do this, then as your leader, I'll allow it. Just...please, don't do anything stupid, okay?" Despite her best efforts to sound like a commander, her voice betrayed her uncertainty. She didn't know what Rok - Ragna - was going to tell Qrow and Raven, but it couldn't be good.

The Grimm were finally resuming their assault. "We're still not done here!" Regal yelled as he flung a fistful of knives in their direction, piercing through several Beowolves and Ursas as they charged toward them. Torrence bisected a large Griffon that had swooped down in an attempt to grab him.

"Alright! Tai," Summer said quickly, turning to the blonde fighter. "Even if what Ragna said was a trap, it's the only thing we have right now. Let's get to central square, now!" Tai nodded, still glancing hesitantly at the Branwen twins. "...Got it," he mumbled.

"I will go as well," Heather spoke up, her voice trembling slightly as she walked over to Summer and Tai, her pistols clenched at her sides. Summer opened her mouth to protest. "Heather, I-"

"Hey, hey, come on." Herman ran over and put his hand on his partner's shoulder. "We've gotta protect this area at all costs! Last thing we need is running low on manpower."

She shook her head. "You three can handle it yourselves. I want to hear the truth - from my father's own mouth." The gunslinger looked up at Summer. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah. I understand, Heather." Summer nodded, and Heather gave her a brief smile. Albeit with some reluctance, the group split up into three parties: Herman, Regal and Torrence remained in the area to defend the civilians and fight off the approaching Grimm. Qrow and Raven ran off to where Ragna claimed he would wait for them. And Summer, Tai, and Heather made their way through the streets of the Oasis, fighting off short bursts of Grimm or Atlesian soldiers, heading in the direction of the city's center.

Finally, the statue that stood as the crown jewel of the city came into view. The grand figure of the Warrior King of Vale, carved out in marble, standing as the embodiment of peace and unity among the four Kingdoms, atop the very spot where the most horrible war in recorded history had been ended by his hand. And standing beneath his feet, in front of the fountain his likeness stood upon, stood several white-clad soldiers, bearing the garments of the people he had once fought against. Standing in their midst, rigid and solemn as ever, was Argent.

"General Fox!" Tai yelled as the three of them came to a stop mere feet from where they stood. "You've got a lot to answer for, and now would be a damn good time to start!"

Argent Fox said nothing, but he motioned to his men, who immediately lowered their guns and stepped back. He retrieved his sword from his belt, removing the shining, silver blade from its sheath with a flourish.

"Father…" Heather pleaded, her voice on the brink of tears. "I don't understand...why…how could…" She could barely even get her words out.

Before the general could respond, the three Huntsmen heard the sound of someone's feet hitting the ground behind them. They turned around in a panic, and saw a familiar face - one they hadn't seen in several years. A mousy-haired girl in her late teens, wearing a lavender vest over a dark chestnut-coloured jumpsuit. She would appear to be human, were it not for her round, white tail.

"...Harriet," said Summer quietly, hand moving to her bow. It was amazing how the traitorous Faunus girl looked almost exactly as she had remembered her. Even now she had a difficulty reconciling the cold, ruthless stare of the girl before her with the shy, clumsy student she had rescued on her first day.

"Long time no see, Summer," Harriet Maroon replied coolly. "...Taiyang…" she gave him a brief nod, "...and Heather." her gaze rested on her former partner. "And I can presume the rest of you are being kept busy elsewhere in the city, correct?"

"None of your business!" Tai snarled. He lunged at Harriet with his fist encased in flames, but she merely teleported out of his way, causing him to crash pathetically into the ground. She rematerialized next to Argent, bowing gracefully as she landed on her toes. "It pleases me to see that none of you have changed a bit," she chuckled.

"That's enough." Argent suddenly spoke, and his voice was raspy and shaken, a far cry from the general's usual tone. "Heather...I'm sorry that you had to see me like this. This was the one thing I hoped, above all else, would never come to be. I am well aware of what you must be feeling right now, and for that I sincerely apologize. As your father, I have failed you."

"This isn't just about me, Father!" Heather yelled, her tears now flowing freely down her face and onto her dress. "What about the people you were sworn to protect? What about your duties as a guardian of our world's peace? And...what about Aurora?"

At the mention of his daughter's name, Argent flinched. "She…" he muttered, not looking Heather in the eye. "I told you...she'll come back soon."

"Tell me the truth! I...no, _we_ trusted you back then, Father. We wanted to be the finest Huntresses in all of Remnant, and we both wanted to make you proud. That was why we volunteered to help you with your experiment! All we knew was that you had made a serum that could strengthen a person's Aura to near-superhuman levels...but that was all we needed to know. And it worked." Heather slid off part of her dress, revealing her bare shoulder. On her flesh was what appeared to be a snake-like tattoo, glowing a bright shade of purple. "We both became strong, and we were proud to have helped you. Then...Aurora left on a mission one day, and never returned."

She looked down at the ground, her face solemn. "But...that was merely what you told me. And the way things are now, I can no longer trust your words, Father. So please, tell me what really happened to my sister!"

"Heather…" Summer murmured sadly, her heart going out to her friend. She could hardly imagine what Heather must be feeling right now.

The general gave a heavy sigh. "Very well. I owe that much at least. To be honest, I have wanted to lift this heavy weight off my chest for quite some time now. It's true that I never told you the full story of the events surrounding my Ouroboros Project. And as for you two…" his gaze moved to Summer and Tai. "You, of course, already know part of the story."

"Summer told me," Tai replied, his eyes fixated on Argent and Harriet, fists clenched as if he were ready to attack at any moment. "But we don't know any more than what Heather just said. Hell, we didn't even know that you used your own daughters for your stupid project!"

"I see. Then I will start from the very beginning." Argent took a deep breath. "From...a young age, I knew the glory and valor of the battlefield. I was fifteen when I first killed as a soldier, during some skirmish on the plains of Mantle. I quickly learned of my talent for warfare, and I spent much of my early life moving from battle to battle, knowing nothing but the desire to annihilate the enemy in front of me. Of course, it was only natural that I was eventually appointed to the position of general. That was when I became closer to Headmaster Onyx...It was he who opened my eyes to the world, and he was the one who made me see war in an entirely new light. He taught me that war was not just a linchpin for a warrior's glory, but that is was a grand, unifying force, that brought people of all races and ideologies together! I was still young...and I believed in Onyx's ideals."

"That was when the idea of the Ouroboros Project came to me. I wanted it to be the birth of a new generation of warriors, a legion of invulnerable behemoths who could conquer anything through the use of nigh-unlimited Aura! And I wanted my two daughters to lead the way into this new age. My wife, Briar, she…" the general's voice broke for a brief moment. "She initially disapproved of my plan, but ultimately acquiesced, on one condition. That Heather and Aurora would follow the path of Huntresses, just as she did, so that they would be free to use their abilities as _they_ saw fit."

"Mother…?" Heather gasped. "She knew about the project?"

"Yes, and she even helped with the serum's development. It took years of grueling research, and many iterations of the formula, but in your final year at Shade Academy, it was completed. You remember what happened next, Heather - your already-excellent talents were expanded tenfold by the experiment. But the truth is, I gave Aurora a far more potent dose of the serum, as I considered her skills to be vastly superior. I believed that between the two of you, she would have a far greater destiny ahead of her. Perhaps, then, the gods were punishing me for my arrogance…"

"So that's what happened, huh?" Tai muttered. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel for you, just a little bit…"

Heather was gazing downward, averting her eyes from her father. "Those were your true feelings regarding Sister and I? I-I suppose I always suspected that...she was always so much better."

"But that was then!" The general suddenly raised his voice almost to a yell. "Now I see just how naive and short-minded I was. It took me several years to realize the arrogance of my actions, but I fully intend to atone for my grievous sin."

Summer shook her head in disbelief. "By attacking a peaceful Kingdom?! How can you see that as atonement?!"

"It is the only way. I told you - the key to my redemption lies deep within the walls of Shade Academy. The one method that the vile corruption brought about by my Ouroboros Project can be cleansed and washed away. The ancient relic that was entrusted to the headmaster there by Ozpin, all those years ago - the Crystal of Purification, the White Yang."

"The crystal of... _what?_ " Tai asked.

It was Harriet who spoke up next. "One of the four relics that were once entrusted to the Huntsman Academies," she explained calmly. "You still remember the black jewel that Buck used, don't you? That was one of the relics, known as the Jewel of Strife, or the Black Yin. Already, it rests in our hands...and soon, the Grandmaster will add the White Yang to her collection."

"So that's what this is all for?! You guys are gonna tear down Vacuo just to get some stupid crystal?"

The rabbit Faunus shrugged. "All of us have our own stake in this affair. I imagine dear Onyx desires something else entirely. As the general has said, that old fool sees war as a unifying force for humanity. No doubt he believes that an unprovoked invasion of another Kingdom will lead to the war he has wanted for decades - perhaps even a second Great War."

"That's utter madness!" Heather snapped. "He would risk plunging all of Remnant into chaos for _that?_ "

Summer stared at Harriet quietly. "And what about you? Even if you're working for Salem, I doubt that a Faunus who lived through the Rights Revolution as a child would want another war to break out. So what do _you_ get out of this, Harriet?"

"Why?" Harriet smiled. "Well firstly, I am sworn to faithfully serve my master. I can assure you she wants the crystal just as much as General Fox does - and has far greater ambitions for it, I might add. That being said...I had a hunch, somewhere deep down, that following this path would lead me to face you once more." With a flourish, she extended the claw gauntlet on her left arm, pointing the sharp blades in her direction. "You do remember when I said that one day, I would judge for myself if you were worthy of the Grandmaster's attention? Well, that time has finally come."

Tai raised his fists. "Fine by me. But Summer's not gonna be fighting alone! And there's no way in hell I'm letting any of you lay a finger on her!"

"...My thoughts exactly." Finally looking back up, Heather cocked her guns, wiping the last of her tears off her face. "I'm sorry about this, Father. But I can't let you get away with what you've done. I am certain that Mother and Aurora would never have approved of this!"

Summer felt a strange, warm glow coursing through her body as she readied her bow, facing her enemies head-on. She'd always believed that her friends would be there for her, but to hear them declare their support for her out loud meant more to the young Huntress than she could ever put into words. _Thanks, Tai. And you too, Heather._

"Then let us begin." Harriet bent down on one knee, extending her other leg behind her as she prepared to lunge at the Huntsmen. She unsheathed her other claw, and both gauntlets began glowing with a familiar dark energy. Summer, Tai and Heather braced themselves for impact.

"...That is enough." Suddenly, Argent held out his arm, blocking Harriet's way. "What?" The Faunus glanced at him with a shocked expression, the energy in her claws fading instantly as she hastily stood back up. "What is the meaning of this, general?"

Argent Fox let out a heavy sigh, and to the surprise of everyone present, sheathed his blade back into its scabbard. "This is very unfortunate. I have no desire to witness harm come to my beloved daughter, much less by my own hand. And conversely, I know it brings Heather no joy to bear arms against me. Thankfully, another option has also presented itself." He raised his hand to the side, motioning toward one of his men. The soldier, who was carrying a curious-looking black duffel bag, lowered the load onto the ground with a grunt. Something inside the bag seemed to be moving.

"I do not wish for more blood to be spilled than what is necessary," Argent continued. "And while I was hoping it would not come to this, it seems I have no other choice for a peaceful resolution. Thankfully, Rok has provided me with an effective bargaining chip." Beside him, the soldier unzipped the duffel bag, overturning it with a sharp, violent movement.

A small, human figure fell out of the bag, letting out a frightened yelp as they collapsed pathetically onto the ground. For a second they stumbled as they struggled to get to their feet, groaning as their eyes adjusted to the sudden daylight. "Wh-where am I…?" The person blinked, staring ahead of themselves, and their eyes widened in recognition. "Oh…" The girl pushed her messy black locks out of her face, her bright amber eyes blinking. "...M-mommy…?"

Summer felt as though her heart had turned to ice. "Autumn…" she gasped.

* * *

"Hah, hahh…" Qrow panted, feeling like his legs were going to give way beneath him as he ran, struggling to keep up with his sister. Raven was practically flying above the ground as she sped toward their destination, not saying a word. "Hey, Sis!" Qrow yelled. "Can you at least slow down and let me catch up?"

"Not a chance," Raven replied without slowing her pace. "If you're so worried about being left behind, why not transform into your bird form and go on ahead?"

"And what? Then I'd just be leaving you behind! How's that any better?! And besides, why couldn't we just use one of your damn portals to get there?"

"The last thing either of us need is for me to waste my Dust supply rather than saving it for the battle - and there _is_ a battle waiting for us, make no mistake about that. You wouldn't want a repeat of what happened in Merlot's lab, do you?"

"That…" Qrow muttered. "That was just bad luck."

"It doesn't matter what it was. If it can get you killed, it's better off avoiding. I don't suppose you think it's merely 'bad luck' that our tribesmen happened to show up here along with those soldiers, do you? Not to mention our dear cousin Ragna suddenly coming back from the dead, allying himself with the Grandmaster?"

Qrow sighed. At this rate, his body was going to go fully numb from exhaustion. Hopefully that just meant he wouldn't be able to feel the aching in his legs as he ran. "Yeah...it's suspicious, alright. I don't know what Rags wants to- hey, Sis, you okay?"

Raven had suddenly stumbled, making a momentary break in her usually unblemished demeanor. "I'm fine," she muttered, quickly shrugging it off.

"...Is it a vision?" her brother asked anxiously.

"Yes...I saw the same thing as before," Raven murmured. "A Grimm...larger than any other I have ever seen. It rose from the sands below, and tore through the Kingdom, and with its gaping maw swallowed city blocks whole, and levelled entire districts. An 'Ancient'-class Grimm...a Leviathan...Grandfather's book spoke of it. Some legends say it was one of the original grand demons that waged war against humanity, before they were called the Creatures of Grimm. If something like that is about to be unleashed into Vacuo…"

"It's fuckin' bad," Qrow said, bluntly summing up the situation.

After several more minutes, the siblings arrived at the address that Ragna had given them. The ruins of what had once been a flourishing market lay ahead of them, along with several other wrecked buildings. But that wasn't what caught their attention. Rather, it was the thirty-odd men and women that stood in front of them, all bearing the same bone-white masks and black-red attire. The females, standing at over six feet tall, wore long, silk-black skirts and had Grimm tattoos on their sleeveless arms. The males had dark suits and thick leather gloves and boots, covering their entire bodies and making them seem almost more specter than human.

Qrow felt his head swimming as he saw them. While he couldn't tell if he knew any of them personally, the attire of his tribesmen was instantly recognizable. With men and women who wore these same clothes, he had hunted, sparred and sometimes even slain, at the age when most children would still live in their mother's arms. Still, of all the emotions running through him right now, being reunited with people he had long thought dead, joy was not one of them.

At the head of the tribesmen, two figures stood, waiting for them. "Wow, I'm surprised you actually came," said Ragna cheerfully, waving at the twins. "Why don't you say hello to everyone, hmm?" Standing next to him was a mountain of a man, almost two heads higher than him, clad in obsidian steel armour.

"...Wait a sec, I know you," Qrow muttered, staring at the armoured giant as he and Raven slowed to a halt in front of the tribesmen. "You were there when the Brotherhood attacked the guild here. You recognized me back then, didn't you?"

"Qrow...and Raven." The giant growled, his voice a deep, almost inhuman rasp. "To think after all these years I would finally meet you both. Truly, the gods are smiling down upon me today."

"Just ignore him - he's a dumbass." Ragna waved dismissively in his direction. "Buuut I guess you'd like an introduction, so let me do the honours, alright?" Leaning up on his toes, he stretched out his arm to give the giant a mockingly affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Qrow, Rae, this stupid brute here is Fenrir, my little brother. So there you go."

"Little...brother?" Raven asked, staring at Fenrir Branwen in shock. "Ridiculous. Uncle Luka only had one son."

"I guess you wouldn't know. After all, he wasn't around back when our village got destroyed, and I doubt you guys have been up to date with our family since you ran away."

Qrow blinked. "W-wait...but that means-"

"This is my ninth year," Fenrir replied gruffly.

As the twins stared in disbelief at the behemoth of a man, who most certainly did not look like he was younger than Ragna, let alone merely nine years old, Fenrir extended an armoured hand to the two of them. "Now then, I believe the time has come. It has been far too long, but on behalf of the chief, it is my pleasure to welcome you two back into the tribe."

"Wait, wait, _what?!_ " Qrow snarled.

"Tribe...chief?" Raven murmured, shaking her head angrily. "Valhalla is gone. Our tribe is gone. There is nothing left to return to!"

Ragna turned to Fenrir. "Oh, that's right...they don't know. Personally, I don't give a shit, so why don't _you_ give them the rundown, Brother?"

Fenrir nodded gravely. "Yes...I suppose it makes sense you were unaware. Then allow me to inform you - Qrow, Raven - that our tribe is still very much alive - as is your father, Thoron Branwen. He has spent years searching tirelessly for you two, and I am sure he will welcome you both with open arms. You can all finally be a family once more, and the Branwens value family above all else."

"You make yourself sound so noble," Ragna scoffed.

"It's true that I had my own motives as well," Fenrir admitted as his face darkened in anger. "As the son of Luka Branwen - that treacherous heretic - the chief was never one to accept me, even with my strength. But he, in his infinite kindness, granted me an opportunity to prove myself. Our tribe is alive, yes, but weakened. My mission was to gather more members to serve under our banner, and restore our people to their former glory. And that is precisely what I have done!" He gestured to the masked tribesmen behind him. "Criminals, terrorists, soldiers - all of them are now our loyal servants."

"Oh, and let's not forget the real stars of the show," added Ragna, pointing up in the sky. " _Them._ "

Qrow and Raven glanced in the direction he was pointing in. "That's the Soulcage," Qrow muttered. "That floating high-security prison? The fuck does that have to do with any of this?"

"Well, by now you've realized that Atlas, Salem's group, and our tribe are all buddy-buddy, right? Most of the prisoners up on that big lump of metal are our tribesmen, and I bet the general's been in personal contact with at least several of 'em. They're not actually prisoners - hell, they can do pretty much whatever they want, as long as Argent allows it!" Ragna threw his head back and laughed. "Maybe they're gonna use the thing's cannons and turn the Soulcage into a giant warship, who knows?"

"Y-you're shitting me…" Qrow was at a loss for words. _This_ was the extent of the corruption in Atlas?

"At any rate, I believe I have said all I needed to...for now." Fenrir's hand was still extended toward the twins. "Chief Thoron will take care of the rest once we return - that I promise. You _are_ returning to us, are you not?"

Raven had gone dead silent, staring blankly at the ground. "I...I-" she gasped.

"Fuck no!" Qrow snarled, drawing Reaper's Gambit and pointing the greatsword at Ragna and Fenrir. Several tribesmen began reaching for their weapons, but Fenrir motioned them to step aside. "There's no way in hell either of us are ever going back to you! You're our enemies!"

"We are your family-" Fenrir tried to say, but Qrow cut him off.

"You're a bunch of killers! I don't remember much about how the tribe was back then, but the way it is now, I'll never accept it as my family. I'm a Huntsman of Vale now, and Team STRQ is more of a family than you'll ever be." He began transforming the sword into a scythe. "Actually, it's not even that. You guys are working for the Grandmaster, right? That's all I need to oppose you."

"Hmph." Ragna scowled. "You think you have a real way with words, don't you?"

Fenrir stared at the twins, silent as ever. Finally, he simply nodded. "Very well. If that is your choice."

Qrow blinked. "Huh? You're...not gonna fight us?"

"Certainly not. I see you were telling the truth - you _don't_ remember much about the tribe, do you? Not even the words that all of us brothers and sisters live by…"

"...'The weak die, and the strong live.'" Raven suddenly spoke up next to Qrow, her voice monotone, broken.

Fenrir nodded. "Precisely. And I have no reason to doubt that either of you are strong - you are Thoron's children, after all. Shedding your blood would be a pitiful waste."

"Um…" Qrow sighed, not sure if he was supposed to be relieved. "That's...great…?"

"However." The giant's eyes darkened, and for a moment scarlet veins appeared all over his face, and his pupils flashed a molten red. "I cannot forgive the ones who have caused you two to stray from your righteous path. No doubt they are tempting you with their heresy, and seek to bring weakness into your hearts...that is not acceptable. The other members of this 'Team STRQ'...and the other Huntsmen you know...I shall personally hunt them down!"

Horror rose in Qrow's chest. "You son of a bitch…!" he growled. Beside him, Raven had now drawn her katana. The two siblings assumed their battle stances, ready to strike at any moment.

Fenrir shook his head sadly. "How disappointing." A black smog began to surround them - the same one that Ragna had appeared out of earlier. "I hope that you will have reconsidered the next time we meet. You must understand this - though our tribe is still weak, we will always recover, and grow stronger than ever before. For we are indestructible."

The smog enveloped the tribesmen, and for a moment everything was quiet...but then the silence was broken by the sound of a single, shrill laugh. Suddenly, the darkness dissipated, and the twins saw that it was Ragna, chuckling gleefully where he stood. "What is the meaning of this, Brother?" Fenrir snarled.

"Indestructible? _You?_ " Ragna Branwen sneered, contempt etched in every inch of his boyish face. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that. There's plenty of things out there that can crush you and your little zealots like gnats. For example, let's take a look at…" He paused for a moment, and then he smiled. "...this."

Immediately, the air was filled by a loud, mechanical screech, resembling that of a large eagle. Moments later, an ear-shattering explosion rang out, and everyone's eyes immediately turned in the direction it came from - up in the sky. In the distance, the Soulcage - the largest prison on the continent of Sanus, containing hundreds of inmates - was ablaze, from where it had been struck in the side by some mighty power. The structure collapsed and fell down into the sands below, quickly sinking into the depths of the Great Vortex.

"No….!" Fenrir screamed. "NO! This is inconceivable!"

"Heheheheh. Finally, it's time to end this miserable charade." Cackling, Ragna summoned his scythe, and leapt at the tribesmen behind him. With surprising speed considering his weapon's size, he cleaved through them like butter. One swing cut through at least five men, bisecting them and spilling their blood onto the ground. Before the tribesmen could react, Ragna swung again, and again, and within seconds they were all dead. "I never told you _that_ part of the plan, did I? Whoops. How silly of me!" Laughing, he gingerly wiped blood off his face. "Where's your invulnerable army now, Fenrir?"

"What the fuck?" Qrow gasped. He couldn't understand - why would Ragna suddenly turn against Fenrir and the tribesmen? He highly doubted he was on the Huntsmen's side.

One thing he was certain of though. He recognized the sound of that mechanical avian, the one that had just shot down the Soulcage.

"You...I should have known...you would betray-!" Howling in anger, Fenrir lunged at Ragna, but the latter simply laughed and snapped his fingers, causing his brother to stop dead in his tracks. "Talk about pathetic. You know, Father always did say the only thing you were good for was your strength. So I'm sure you won't mind...if I take away everything else you have, right?"

"Grahh….ggrraaAAOOOGHHHHHH!" The giant screamed, as an explosion of dark energy engulfed him. His body began to mutate, as black shadows began encasing his flesh, and the scarlet veins became visible once more, enveloping his face. Feral white fangs grew from within his maw, as he let out a pained, guttural growl. As Fenrir turned around, Qrow and Raven saw that his eyes had turned molten red, just like a Grimm's. Sharp metal claws were jutting out of his armour, on his hands and on his back.

"Now that's what I wanted to see. Who's a good dog?" Ragna laughed, and as he motioned with his hand, Fenrir took a single lumbering step toward the twins. "Sorry guys, but you'll find that I'm not as much of an idiot as he is. Still, though - going along with his tribe bullshit all this time was really taking a lot out of me! Thank fuck that's over, right?"

"This…" Raven gasped. "This is like what happened to Buck...but how?"

Ragna smirked. "Nu-uh, I'm not telling. I've made my decision - I'm not even gonna give you the satisfaction of knowing the truth. You'll die here, confused and afraid, just as pawns like you deserve." He gestured, and the deranged Fenrir snarled at his command. "Now then, Fenrir. Time to meet the family members you love so much. _KILL THEM!_ "

Qrow and Raven glanced at each other, and exchanged a brief nod. Fenrir charged at them with an enraged howl, and the two siblings ran forward to engage their foe.


	45. Paragon of Light

**Chapter 20: Paragon of Light**

 _Great Vortex_

It happened all at once. One moment, it was just an ordinary day in the prison. The next, a deafening screech rang through the ears of all the unfortunate souls present, as the floor beneath them began to shake with violent impulse, and the whole world was set ablaze.

The raging inferno roared through the halls and corridors, consuming everything in an unending blaze of bright red flames. Outside, the steel walls that were once thought to be impenetrable were crumbling in on themselves, collapsing from the weight of the concentrated beam of energy that had struck its weakest point, the part on which construction had not been completed.

Deep in the bowels of the complex, the engine room was overheating, unable to contain the damage sustained. As the flames continued to spread, the security system came to the conclusion that the extent of the damage could no longer be properly contained. Thus, the last-ditch failsafe was the only remaining option. The system shut itself down, as the Gravity Dust deep in the engines began to harden, quickening the Soulcage's descent into the abyss below.

As the complex lurched over and fell downward into the Great Vortex, the sound of the metal walls screeching made it seem like all of its inhabitants were crying out in anguish. High up in the sky, the mechanical avian watched the Soulcage sink into the sand with its unseeing steel eyes.

"Whoa...now _that_ was a _blast!_ " Atop the bird's back, Storm Columbus threw his head back and laughed as the observed the destruction. "It'll take more than a couple o' Huntsmen to dig that hunk of trash out of the ground now!"

Psycha bent down quietly, giving her metal pet an affectionate rub on the head. "Good boy, Bubble," she murmured, her gaze steely and cold.

Behind them, Locke and Moss were staring at their partners uncertainly, the sound of the explosion still ringing in their ears. Moss sat down, her tiny body shaking in fear, as she put her hands over her good eye. "So...we're done, right?" she whispered. "We did what they told us to do, right?"

"That's right," replied Psycha. "There's nothing left for us here."

"Um...Psycha?" Locke shifted his feet uncomfortably, looking away from his partner. In the distance, he could see the smoke rising from the Oasis, and the silhouettes of Grimm flying toward the carnage. "This...this isn't really justice, is it?"

"... _What?_ " After a moment's pause, Psycha replied, turning toward him with her mouth curled up in a sneer.

Locke took a deep breath. He usually just listened to whatever the team leader said without question, so he had to take a few seconds to prepare himself for what he had to say next. "This is the sort of thing that bad guys do. We became Huntsmen to _stop_ people like that, but now we've become just like them! Do you really think that-"

"Who cares?"

"H-huh?" he blinked in shock at her blunt reply.

"I said, who the hell cares?" his partner spat. "You and all your shit about 'justice' and 'the bad guys' really pisses me off, you know. And besides, the people we just killed were all terrorist scumbags...no one will miss them, so what are you complaining about? Just grow the fuck up already." Seeing that Locke had nothing to reply with, Psycha turned away from his stunned expression.

They heard a soft sobbing come from nearby. It was Moss, with her head buried in her knees, shivering violently. She looked up with tears flowing from her eye. "I...I just want to go home…" she whimpered softly.

"H-hey, c'mon, Moss." Storm walked over to his partner, patting her on the head reassuringly. "It's alright, no need to cry." His usual growl had softened to a comforting, almost fatherly murmur.

"Didn't you hear me? We _are_ going home," Psycha snapped. "Our _new_ home. Forget those losers in the city - they have no use to me anymore. Where we're going, we'll finally be able to get stronger than anyone else. That is, if the Grandmaster is as good as the rabbit says they are." She glanced back at her teammates. "...Well?" she hissed. "Any complaints?"

Everyone was silent. Psycha knelt down with an angry scowl on her face, whispering something to her bird. With a screech, the mechanical avian flapped its mighty wings and flew off into the distance, soon disappearing behind the gathering clouds.

* * *

 _The Oasis_

Things began to go wrong from the first strike.

As Qrow and Raven charged forward in perfect synchronization, Fenrir howled, the obsidian armour encasing his arms retracting to reveal a heavy steel cleaver on his left hand, and a miniature gatling cannon on his right. The feral beast ran at the twins, firing a flurry of explosive shells that forced them to scatter.

"Guh!" The force from one of the explosions knocked Qrow off balance, and he landed painfully on his side some distance away. Hurriedly picking himself back up, he saw Fenrir standing in between him and his sister, who was slowly backing away from him while charging up her sword with Dust. _Okay,_ Qrow thought, fighting off the desperation in his mind. _If we can't both rush him at once, from here we can still take him from both sides and overpower him._

He had barely finished that thought when Fenrir tilted his monstrous head to glare at him, dark energy visibly flowing from his body. He growled, saliva dripping from his maw, making him look even more like a Grimm. Before Qrow could even blink, he ran at him with his cleaver with lightning-fast speed.

The Huntsman's survival instinct kicked in just in time, and he managed to block the brunt of the impact with his own blade. Even so, the sheer impact sent him flying into the wall of a nearby building, causing it to collapse and bury him under the debris.

"C'mon, I know you can do better than that!" Ragna was saying, his condescending remark directed at his brother. "Push yourself to full output! Hold nothing back!"

Groaning in pain, Qrow climbed his way out of the rubble, struggling to keep his grip on his sword in the process. Dirt had gotten into his eyes, and they were starting to water. He quickly rubbed his eyes and blinked furiously, seeing Fenrir standing with his back to him, firing at Raven as she leapt around in circles to avoid them.

"Hrahh!" Yelling, she jumped at the deranged giant, swinging her blade and firing off multiple beams of Dust energy into his armoured chest, following it up with several precise slashes to his face and body. Qrow recognized the skill as one of Raven's most potent combination attacks, one that she only used in the most dangerous situations.

Unfortunately, Fenrir was not fazed in the slightest. Even her final, downward bisecting slash aimed at his cranium merely bounced harmlessly off his head, like a plastic pellet hitting a titanium wall. He retaliated with a blow from his cleaver, knocking Raven to the side. She struggled to retain her footing as she landed, deflecting Fenrir's next strike with her katana.

"Sis!" Qrow grunted, running to her aid. Suddenly, he sensed something heading toward him, and quickly stopped in his tracks before jumping backward to avoid the dark energy beam that would have pierced through him if he'd been a moment slower. Turning around, he saw Ragna standing with his scythe drawn, smoke rising from the glowing purple edges. _It uses Gravity Dust, huh?_

"Looks like I get you all to myself, Qrow!" Ragna swung the scythe, as the curved blade glowed a darker shade of violet. The force from the swing sent a gust of wind blowing in Qrow's direction, and he quickly rammed his sword into the ground in front of him, shielding himself from the blast while struggling to retain his footing.

Once it was over, Qrow leapt at Ragna, holding Reaper's Gambit over his head. Yelling, he brought the weapon downward, meeting the edge of the boy's scythe. "Heh." Holding his weapon against Qrow's with one hand, Ragna smiled and held out his free arm. From within his sleeve, a thin, black blade was jutting out, glowing with Dust. The armblade flew forward, attached to the string on his arm, slamming into Qrow's face and and knocking him back several feet.

As soon as he pulled himself back up, he saw the two black blades flying at him, which he deflected with his sword. Ragna retracted the knives back into his sleeves, and picked his scythe back up. Qrow rolled to the side as the boy fired another large beam from his weapon.

"I had a feeling you'd reject Fenrir's offer," Ragna said casually, raising his smoking scythe to parry Qrow's next strike. "You never did really fit in back in the tribe, so I can't blame you for not having the closest bond with them. I feel the same way, y'know?"

"Shut up." Qrow swung Reaper's Gambit with all his might, causing Ragna to visibly stumble as he blocked the hit.

"Oh, c'mon. Not in the mood for some quality family banter? Shame." Grinning, he leapt back, perching himself on his scythe's blade as he landed. "The truth is, I've always taken an interest in you, Qrow. You, of all people, should have embraced the tribe's ideals with open arms. You might not have Rae's natural talent, but you've been blessed by fate all the same - just like the rest of us Branwens! Take your Semblance, for example."

"My Semblance?" Qrow narrowed his eyes. "My power to turn into a bird? What about it?"

"Is that what you think you think it is? You really sold yourself short, huh?" Ragna swung his scythe to meet Qrow's blade, and the two of them stood there at a standstill. "Sorry, but you're only half-right. Your _real_ power is to channel the spirit of your namesake, the crow - that part's true, at least. But it's not only the physical aspect you can use. Just like a crow, you bring misery and bad luck to everyone around you. That's way more useful that turning into a bird, don't you think?"

"...What? What the _hell_ are you talking about?!" Qrow snarled, pushing his blade against his enemy's scythe with all his strength. "If this is some made-up bullshit to catch me off guard, sorry, but that's not gonna work on me. You think I wouldn't know what my own Semblance is?"

"Yep! I mean, think about it. You've got to have noticed by now, right? That bad things just happen more often when you're around? To both your allies and your enemies? What about that Summer girl you love so much, hmm? Admit it - she's gotten way better at fighting on her own...don't you ever think that maybe, you were the one holding her down?"

Smiling at Qrow's stunned silence, Ragna continued. "So you _really_ didn't know, huh...now isn't that sad. Now, I'm not a betting man, but I have a hunch that your dad knew all along what your true Semblance was...and he probably kept it secret, because you might have been targeted - or even killed, by tribesmen who were afraid of you. Hmmm...oh, that's right! Maybe your sister knew, too, and she never told you? Now that would be tragic."

Yelling, Qrow pushed forward with a sudden effort, knocking Ragna's scythe out of his hands. The weapon landed blade-first in the concrete several metres away. "Shut. The hell. Up!" He ran at the boy, who leapt back and retrieved his scythe, swinging it as he landed and knocking Qrow back with the blast of wind. "I told you…" Qrow spat, regaining his posture. "I'm not swallowing any of your damn bullshit!"

"If you're so sure I'm lying, why not ask your sister?" Ragna looked to his right, and a grin formed slowly over his face. "...On second thought, it looks like that talk's gonna have to be delayed - indefinitely."

"Wha…?" Qrow glanced in the same direction, and saw Fenrir raise his hand to strike Raven in the chest. The dark Huntress was sent flying back, slamming into him at full force. "Ugh!" Qrow fell over from the impact, his sword falling out of his hands. Raven landed next to him, but she got up almost immediately, still holding her katana in her hands. The tip of the scarlet blade began glowing with Dust energy.

Chuckling, Ragna threw his arms back and yawned. "Ahh...I really worked up an appetite from that little scuffle. Once this is done, I think I'll have a nice lunch. Hmm...a baked panini with mozzarella sounds nice. Well then Fenrir, be a good dog and finish them off, ok?"

"Sis…" Qrow muttered, his hand reaching toward Reaper's Gambit. "You…"

Raven was glaring at Fenrir, her katana glowing scarlet. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and held out her sword in front of her. "It's alright, Brother. I can take him alone. All I need to do is use my full power, and I can overcome any obstacle." Before Qrow could respond, she lunged at the giant.

Growling unintelligibly, Fenrir swung his massive arms at her, trying to slice her or bombard her with gunfire. Raven dodged all of it, practically dancing around him as if her every move was calculated perfectly to avoid his attacks. Every time Fenrir struck, she would use the opportunity to hit him where his armour would be weakest, gradually wearing him down. She had her eyes shut the entire time, and it looked as though she were in a trance; as if her consciousness was elsewhere.

Raven performed a pirouette slash, striking Fenrir multiple times as she landed, before seamlessly transitioning into a multi-thrust attack to his limbs. Qrow recognized the attack as the one she'd used to defeat Latte Adel during the Vytal Tournament. As Raven delivered the final lunge with her blade, striking the direct centre of Fenrir's armour, the impact from the strike caused the building behind the giant to collapse, crumbling into rubble. Qrow heard an audible _crack,_ as the armour finally reached its breaking point.

Shadow Mobius was raised upward one more time. In a flash, the scarlet blade, which had just been depleted by Raven's thrust, was once more enveloped in Dust energy, glowing even brighter than before. The blade began shaking, and Qrow could practically hear it pulsate, as if the katana had a heartbeat. Even from several feet away he could feel the intense energy radiating from it. _You're kidding me, sis..._ Dread filled his heart. _That much power all at once…? At this rate, you'll-_

"HAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Raven's eyes flew open, and she brought the sword down with a furious cry. As it made contact with her foe, a blinding light emanated from the blade, enveloping Qrow's vision. Grunting, he squeezed his eyes shut, covering his eyes as a loud explosion rang out. Bits of debris flew into his mouth, and he coughed.

When it had faded, it took him a moment to regain his bearings. When Qrow's sight had regained its focus, he saw Fenrir standing with visible cracks in his armour. Growling, the feral beast took a lumbering step backward, and his armour crumbled into pieces, finally leaving him exposed.

In front of Fenrir was Raven, lying unconscious with her body covered in debris and leftover fragments of Dust. She still held Shadow Mobius in her hand - or rather, what was left of the scarlet blade. Only the hilt remained intact, with the rest having been obliterated by that last strike. Small red shards were scattered across the ground, still glowing with residue Dust. A red shimmer shone momentarily around her body, showing that her Aura had run out.

"Grahrghh…" Fenrir snarled. His body began to twitch violently, before suddenly he threw his head back and howled. With a sickening crunch, sharp white bones protruded from his back like spikes, as if tearing through skin. Thick black fluid seeped out from his body onto the ground, corroding the cement beneath. Fenrir continued to shake, large bulges popping momentarily on random parts of his body. His howls had turned to screams of pain, and he sounded almost human again.

 _So that's what his armour was for,_ Qrow realized with a start. _It wasn't to protect himself from attacks. It was literally holding his body together!_

Ragna sighed. "Shame. I guess for all her talk, she just couldn't make the cut, huh? Oh, well. I don't exactly want this idiot to die too soon, so…" He held out his hand with an air of indifference, and Fenrir immediately knelt down on one knee, the convulsions slowly going away. The giant knelt there, bones jutting out of his skin, drops of black fluid oozing from his body onto the ground.

"Good boy. Now then…" he pointed in Qrow's direction. "Just finish this brat off and get it over with. I can take care of the other one." As Fenrir got up, walking slowly toward Qrow with his terrifying molten-coloured eyes fixated on the Huntsman, Ragna leapt over to where Raven lay motionless. Grunting, he gave her a sharp kick to the stomach. "Pfft. Looking like this, she isn't so tough now, is she?" he chuckled. "Heheheh...ah, it's so much more fun when they can't fight back."

"Get away from her, you piece of shit…!" Qrow tried to get back up, but stumbled. _Dammit…! I didn't think I was this hurt!_ He could only watch helplessly as Ragna kicked her again, and he heard the sound of her ribs cracking underneath his foot. "I bet she thought she was being so noble, avenging her tribe and all that crap. Too bad for her, though. Not only was there nothing to avenge, but she for all her power, she was too stupid to see what was right in front of her the whole time - just like her father!" Grinning sadistically, he raised his scythe.

Fenrir was reaching out to grab him now. Weakly, Qrow tried dragging himself away from him, but it was no use. Next to him, he saw one of the shards that had once formed Shadow Mobius, which was larger than the rest - this one was the size of a dagger. With all his remaining effort, Qrow reached out to grab it. "Gah-!" he winced, as the hot energy emanating from the shard seared into his skin. Taking a deep breath, he clasped the fragment with his hand, letting the sharp pain run through him, giving him a momentary rush of adrenaline.

"Hrahhhhh!" Yelling, Qrow leapt up, turning to face Fenrir. He threw himself at the giant with all his might, jamming the jagged shard into his chest with all his might. The sharp edge pierced into Fenrir's heart with a sickening _squish,_ disappearing into his skin. The giant howled, swinging his fist and striking Qrow in the jaw, knocking out several teeth and sending him falling to the ground. Fenrir's body began convulsing in agony, as the dark energy surrounding him began to dissipate.

When Qrow's vision returned and he looked up at Fenrir, the giant had returned to normal. He knelt with his hands clenched on the ground, panting as sweat ran down his body. Large, bloody scars had formed on his back and shoulders where the bones had been. And on his chest was the mark of the stab that Qrow had just given him, which was bleeding profusely.

"Hahhh...I...thank you, Qrow." His voice even more gravelly than before, Fenrir stood up. _You have go to be fucking KIDDING me,_ he thought incredulously. He could've sworn he'd pierced the giant's heart, yet here he was, still very much alive.

"Because of your aid, I have regained my sanity...you have my gratitude. You are a true Branwen, indeed. You and your sister." As the dark smog began to envelop him, he turned his head to face his brother, anger forming in his face. "And as for you, Ragna...you have started a very dangerous game. One day, I will have vengeance for my slain comrades...and not even his judgement will protect you from my wrath." On that ominous note, Fenrir vanished.

Ragna sighed. "Ooh...scary. Honestly, I was hoping he would be good enough to handle this alone, but I guess there's only so much you can do help out a dumbass like him. Now then, where were we?" He raised his scythe once more, ready to bring it down on Raven's back.

"Not so fast!" A man's voice came from nearby.

"The hell?" Ragna turned around in surprise, and a pure white blade struck his hand, disarming him. "Ack!" He glared at the figure that had thrown the knife, and Qrow followed his gaze. Standing some distance away, a large, black knife in his hand, was Professor Thane.

"...You?" Ragna muttered. "Tch. Great, now the old farts are coming in, huh?"

Thane turned to Qrow. "You there!" he called out to him. "I will take him myself! Go and get to safety at once! The situation in the Kingdom is about to get far worse. Your companions are waiting for you!"

Qrow didn't hesitate for a second. As fast as he could, he ran to Raven's side, hoisting her body up on his shoulder, before running back the way he came, barely able to breathe as he focused solely on getting away as fast as possible. Once he was out of sight, Thane took a deep breath and faced Ragna.

"What a bother," Ragna sighed, as if mildly inconvenienced. "So you finally got off your ass and decided to do something. Candor Thane...headmaster of Shade Academy, two-time victor of the Vytal Tournament, and former S-rank Huntsman. Once known by your peers as the Paragon of Light. Heheh...looking at you now, I bet you wish you'd stuck with your old job, eh?"

"I won't deny that," Thane admitted. "I was always meant to achieve victory on the battlefield, not sitting in a dusty office signing papers. I was a foolish young man once, believing that strength and authority were one and the same. Now I see that I was laughably wrong. But it has been an enlightening experience all the same, and ultimately, I wouldn't say I regret the path I took." He raised his weapon. "And I'll have you know that in all these years, my skills have never faded."

The headmaster's body began glowing with white Aura, and he extended his hand forward. In the surrounding area, the lampposts began to shake, suddenly flickering on and off before bright rays of light flew out of them, being absorbed into Thane's blade. In his free hand, another sword, one white as pure light, materialized out of thin air.

Wordlessly, Ragna retrieved his scythe. "Fine," he grinned. "I guess I still have some more time to waste. Let's see what an old-timer like you can do against my trusty blade, Apocalypse!" The boy leapt at Thane with a loud cry, swinging his massive blade.

Grunting, Thane met his strike with the white blade, quickly leaping to the side and stabbing at Ragna with the black blade. "Guh!" The boy fell backward, gripping Apocalypse's handle to keep his balance. Pulling himself up, he kicked his scythe so that part of the edge was facing Thane, before firing off an energy beam.

"Hmmmph!" Thane held out the black blade, absorbing the impact of the beam into its edge. Shaking the weapon, it opened up and its parts shifted, until it had changed into a double-barreled shotgun. In response, the white blade flickered out of existence, and a white gun instantly appeared in its face. He raised both guns, firing them in rapid succession.

Ragna was bombarded with bullets, and was blown back into the building behind him. Swearing and yelling in pain, he ran to avoid the gunfire, revealing his arm blades as he charged at Thane. "Take this, old man!" He thrust out his blades, aiming for the headmaster's heart.

Thane's weapon changed structure once more, now becoming a long, thin spear with a sharp, needle-like edge, and the hologram in his other hand changed to match it. Thane held out his two lances in a cross shape, blocking Ragna's strike. With both hands, he made quick stabbing motions at the boy to force him backward. Once he'd gotten him into something of a rhythm, he struck him in the leg, knocking him over.

Growling, Ragna regained his footing, but was unable to avoid a sharp jab to his stomach from the white spear. Stumbling, he proceeded to charge blindly at Thane while swinging Apocalypse in wide arcs, abandoning all sense of strategy. Thane casually stepped to the side, carefully conserving his energy as he parried each of Ragna's strikes with his spears. The moment the boy showed signs of exhaustion , Thane lunged forward with all his might, sending him flying. Ragna crashed back-first into the wall behind him, creating a perfectly Ragna-sized crater where he made impact. His Aura shimmered in a pitch-black glow, before fading away.

"Ugh…" he groaned. "You stupid old man...can't you just lie down and die quietly? It would make things way easier for all of us, y'know. And I'd like to get what I want without putting in too much effort once in a while."

"My apologies, but I have no intention of dropping dead anytime soon," Thane replied, lowering his weapons. "I think I have a clear idea of what you and your accomplices are planning to do here today. Ozpin has already had a contingency put into place to deal with this very scenario. Your plan was doomed from the start, I'm afraid."

Ragna opened his mouth and laughed, a dry, wheezy cackle. "You're technically right...but just what plan are you referring to?"

"...What?"

"Heheheh. Well, I've wasted enough time here. It's time I got around to doing what I was supposed to do. See ya." A black portal materialized behind him, and he flashed a terrifying smirk at Thane, a malicious grin stretching across the entire face. "Your time's coming soon, old man. You, that clown Ozpin, and all the rest...you're too late. He's already begun. And soon, you and the pathetic order you've used to enslave the world will be laid bare! The new age is coming, but you won't live to see i-"

Thane flung the white spear. The weapon pierced Ragna through the abdomen, and with a sharp yell of pain, the boy was flung backward into the portal, and vanished immediately. The dark energy faded away, and the headmaster was standing alone in the wreckage.

"Hahh…" he sighed. "Curious...what exactly was that boy referring to? At any rate, I doubt it matters at the moment. Hmmm." Thane looked over at the horizon, his face clenched in worry. _I hope Oz can take care of the rest. I doubt we have any time left…_

As if on cue, the ground beneath him began to shake. Several of the buildings around him finally collapsed, and cracks appeared in the ground. Most people would have thought an earthquake was happening, but a moment of reflection would have cued to them that this was no ordinary quake. In the distance, a large plume of sand could be seen rising from the desert below, growing larger by the second.

Finally, it happened. An enormous shadow, as tall as a skyscraper, burst out from beneath the Great Vortex, screeching with the ferocity of a demon. After a few moments, the darkness began to take a tangible form, becoming a mountainous black whale, its mouth opening wide in a scream, sucking an ocean of sand into its bottomless gullet. It was like a devil told of in bedtime stories to frighten troublesome children, one which could devour worlds and strike terror into the hearts of all. Finally, it opened its molten eyes, each of which was the larger than an Ursa Major.

The unsealed beast, turning its cruel gaze in the direction of the city in chaos, began to slowly make its approach toward Oasis. Its every breath stirred up a sandstorm that began to rage, enveloping the area around it in a tornado of dust and rock.

"So...that's what it looks like," Thane whispered in terrified awe. "The Leviathan Grimm."

* * *

The airship flew through the sky, remaining at a relatively safe distance from the sandstorm raging nearby. Though the pilot was trembling in fear at the sight of the great beast that was lurking within the storm, he continued to fly as he had been ordered to. "This is about as far as I can go, sir," he said nervously as he heard the sharp _pitter-patter_ of sand raining against the ship's exterior. "Are you sure you can handle yourself out there? This looks...well, about as bad as it can get."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine." Professor Ozpin's voice rang out through the pilot's radio. "Once I have left, turn around at once and get to the city. The people there will need all the aid they can get."

Beacon's headmaster stood on top of the airship, gripping his cane as he stared into the storm ahead of him. He held his Scroll in his other hand. "It's as we suspected. Onyx was planning to use the Soulcage as a catalyst to break the seal on the Leviathan. Left unchecked, the beast will raze Vacuo by sundown."

"Damn that old fool," Carnelia's voice replied. "I always knew he was mad, but this is complete lunacy even for him! I'd come to your aid, but unfortunately it seems that issue you briefed me on earlier is currently under investigation in Mistral, and it looks like I'll need to stay here until we make further progress. I'll send what support I can, but it looks like you're on your own, Oz."

"I wouldn't say that," Ozpin smiled. "We have Thane on our side, after all. And there is no need for you to worry, Carnelia. Take what I warned you about into consideration - I fear the situation in Vacuo is but one of our enemy's schemes." He turned off the Scroll and put it away in his pocket.

Raising the cane, the headmaster was surrounded by a shimmering sphere of green energy. His feet began to rise up from the airship's surface, floating in the air for a moment before flying off into the raging sandstorm, the sphere shielding him from the shower of tiny, sharp fragments raining down upon him.

After almost a full minute, Ozpin broke through the raging sands, entering the eye of the storm. He landed on the Leviathan's back, dusting himself off as the sphere around him dissipated. A sinister black fluid was dripping down the Grimm's body, forming smaller creatures of Grimm as they separated themselves from the main body. Some of them simply fell to their deaths below, while others grew wings, changing into more recognizable forms - Nevermores, Griffons, and others. They flew away into the sandstorm, with all but the strongest being torn to shreds before they could get their first glimpse of the sky.

Ozpin sighed. He had seen more than enough in his lifetime to not feel fear in all but the most frightening of scenarios, but the old man could feel his blood chilling in the presence of so many Grimm, and the aura of malevolence that pervaded the entire area. He took a deep breath. "Desmond," he called out. "I believe it's time you showed yourself."

He heard a sharp crackling sound from in front of him. What appeared to be a small, squid-like Grimm with long tentacles protruding from its body had materialized in front of him. With a loud screech, the creature's body burst open, its tentacles wrapping around itself in a grotesque spectacle. There was a tearing sound, and a familiar old man wrenched his way out of the creature's body.

"Hello, Ozzy," Headmaster Onyx smiled at him. "Fancy meeting you here."

* * *

 **A/N: Enjoy the chapter! I know it's a cliffhanger, and we're nearing the end of the volume, but I might have to take a week or two off to focus on school and other things. Hope you all understand.**


	46. Argent

**Chapter 21: Argent**

 _Turning back the clock ten-or-so minutes..._

Summer's head was spinning as she stared, her jaw hanging agape, at Autumn lying pathetically on the ground, struggling to get up as she glanced around with her eyes widened in confusion. After a moment, she realized she was trembling, her bow was shaking in her hand. _This can't be happening._ She opened her mouth. "Autumn...how did you…"

"W-what's going on?" Autumn stammered. The poor girl's head darted around from side to side, taking in the unfamiliar white-clad figures that stood over, before fixating her gaze on Summer with a desperate plea. "Um...I don't know what you're doing here, Mommy...i-is this a joke, or something?"

Behind her, Argent took a small step forward, his katana's edge touching the back of the girl's neck. Autumn whimpered at the feeling of cold steel on her skin. "Rok told me that this young lady means quite a lot to you, Miss Rose," the general said, his voice now devoid of emotion. "If you don't wish for harm to come to her - and believe me, I don't wish for it, either - you will stand down now. You can leave in peace-"

" _Peace?!_ " Tai yelled furiously, the tattoos on his arms catching fire as he pointed an enraged fist at the general, Harriet, and the Atlesian soldiers. "Just when I thought you guys couldn't get any worse, you take a little kid hostage, and then you expect us to 'leave in peace'? Are you _insane?!_ "

"Calm down," Heather said steadily, in a stoic tone much like her father, though she wasn't quite as capable of masking the tension underneath.

Harriet stared at Autumn in surprise, faint recognition slowly dawning on her face. "I wasn't aware you had something like this up your sleeve, General," she said, frowning at Argent. "I'm surprised. I didn't think even a human like you would stoop to such levels. Perhaps you do belong with the Grandmaster's sort after all." She tilted her head and smiled.

Argent ignored the Faunus, his attention remaining on the three Huntsmen. "Regardless of how you see my actions, you cannot do anything without risking the girl's life. As I've said, fighting would accomplish nothing; there is already no way to impede our plans here today. All you can do is leave here alive, and I assure you that if you do, there will be no need to pursue this further."

"...How can we possibly trust you?" Summer asked angrily. " _Either_ of you?" Her gaze moved to Harriet.

"I suppose you can't," the rabbit replied. "But it's not like there's anything else you can do in this situation, is there?"

Summer said nothing. All she could do was stare at Autumn, kneeling down while frozen in fear with the general's sword at her back, tears of fright forming in her amber eyes. There was nothing in the world that Summer feared worse than seeing her get hurt. If Argent really meant what he said, she could just walk away right now and they would all be safe - Autumn included. Otherwise, there was no telling what would happen to the girl.

Even so...there would be nothing noble or admirable about backing down now. Hundreds, potentially thousands more innocents were in danger if the situation in Vacuo wasn't quelled immediately. Of course, Summer wasn't completely willing to sacrifice Autumn's life for such a cause, but she knew that a true Huntsman's duty was to protect as many people as possible. Knowing what had to be done, she took a deep breath.

"Sorry," she said to Argent. "But we're not going anywhere."

"...I beg your pardon?" The general seemed taken aback by her response. Tai, Heather and even Harriet also turned to her in surprise.

"I'm calling your bluff, General," said Summer, hoping she sounded confident enough. "I might not know you nearly as well as your daughter, but I don't think you're the type of person who'd actually hurt an innocent little girl. You're desperate for options, and you know it."

Argent's face curled in a deep scowl, but Summer could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "You-"

"I understand how you feel, really. You don't want to have to hurt anyone. Obviously not your daughter, but that also extends to the rest of us. It's why you didn't take your chance to get rid of me and my team the last time we met." She drew her bow with a flourish, aiming an arrow at the general's head. "But I want you to know that it's okay. We're strong enough to take whatever you have to throw at us, and together, we'll put an end to Onyx's madness. And...we'll save you, too. I promise." She turned to nod reassuringly at Heather. "There's no need to hold back against us, General."

The general stood quietly, his face betraying nothing. Beside him, a wily smile formed across Harriet's face."Hehe. It looks like your conviction is strong, if nothing else," she chuckled. "It's a fair assessment of General Fox, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately, even if that's the case, you forget that I don't have such scruples."

Brandishing her claws, the Faunus ran toward Autumn with her hand stretched outward. She was cut off by the arrow that struck her in the side and detonated, sending her flying into a nearby wall. Falling to the ground, Harriet scrambled to get back to her feet.

Summer switched to blade form and leapt up in Harriet's direction, her swords colliding with her steel claws as she came down. "Go!" she screamed at Autumn as she struggled to keep Harriet down. "Get away and hide, _NOW!"_ She saw the girl nod in terror, running toward one of the Atlesian aircrafts parked nearby and taking cover behind it.

Meanwhile, Heather and Tai had taken advantage of the momentary distraction that Summer had provided to the enemy, and quickly incapacitated the foot soldiers with Dust bullets and punches. They then began to take on the general himself, with Tai engaging him up close and Heather providing cover fire.

"Your efforts are admirable - but fruitless!" Argent yelled, swinging his sword with enough force to send a strong gust of wind flying out in all directions. "My sacred blade, Cocytus Shard, cleaves through all matter with the force of absolute zero! Your Aura will do nothing to save you from its sting!"

Tai dodged the strike and leapt to the side as Heather fired a stream of bullets in her father's direction, which he deflected with a quick spin of his blade. "Well, that's fine by me!" the blonde warrior spat back. "If my Aura's useless, then all I gotta do is not get hit, right? Don't you dare think I'm all brawn and no brains, Mister Sir General - I'm made of more than just a mean punch!"

Seeing that her friends were able to handle the situation by themselves, Summer turned back to Harriet, who jumped to her feet and pushed her a step back with a swing of her claws. Taking advantage of the new distance between them, Summer changed back to her bow and began to fire in the Faunus' direction. Harriet dodged the projectiles easily with lightning-fast speed, landing directly in front of Summer and grazed her clothing with a quick strike.

"Ugh!" Before she could retaliate, Harriet had teleported some distance away. She tried firing a few more arrows, but the Faunus simply phased through them all, reaching Summer and landing another blow, before returning to her original position, over and over. Soon, Summer felt herself getting tired. _This isn't going to work,_ she realized, returning Phoenix Heart to blade form.

Close-range combat proved to be little better. Summer swung her swords at Harriet, trying to keep a steady rhythm of performing a stab at her opponent's face, forcing her to move her head to the side where the second blade was aimed to strike. However, the rabbit Faunus was clearly anticipating such a strategy, preferring to keep her distance while Summer was attacking and striking when her guard was down.

Suddenly, she ran at Summer with a rush of ferocity, both claw gauntlets held forward. Instinctively, she raised her blades in defense, not noticing the triumphant smile forming on Harriet's face until it was too late. A burst of black lightning burst from her claws, rushing through Summer's swords as they made contact. "Gah-!" Summer felt the electricity coursing into her body, unable to move as the Faunus drained a sizable chunk of her Aura.

Finally, she leapt back, and Summer felt herself fall on her behind as she temporarily went numb. Harriet brandished her claws once more, and her Aura began to glow a deep shape of red, enveloping her whole body. Her claws suddenly became ablaze, and she began to spin around with rapid movements, until she was surrounded by a tornado of fire. With a battle cry, she launched herself at the weakened Summer.

Desperate, she fired an arrow at Harriet, but it disintegrated when it touched the flames surrounding her. The tornado collided with her head-on, and she felt a rush of intense pain throughout her body as more of her Aura was taken out, and she flew backward. As she hit the ground, she rolled around several times, becoming tangled in her own cloak. Cursing, Summer got back up as she pulled the cloth off her body, struggling to see through it.

Once she regained her sight, she saw Harriet lunge at her once more. Abandoning her earlier strategy, Summer simply swung her blade wildly, hoping to land a lucky strike. As before, Harriet just teleported away, dematerializing just before the sword's blade could impact her. Suddenly, she felt what appeared to be a rush of wind beside her, a moment before the Faunus reappeared behind her and swung her claw. Grunting, Summer parried her strike, as an idea popped into her head.

 _What was that wind just now?_ To test her theory, Summer swung her sword again, leaping at her opponent with reckless abandon. Harriet was caught off guard and used her teleportation again, and Summer immediately felt the same rush of wind as the Faunus materialized next to her. The two of them began to fight blow for blow, Summer keeping an eye on Harriet's movements as she struggled to keep up with the faster warrior's strikes.

"Hrahhh!" She pushed forward, exerting enough strength to force Harriet a step back, an expression of panic appearing on her face for just a moment. "Hmmph...you've definitely improved," she growled, teleporting away. Summer felt the wind moving behind her back, and she turned around, thrusting her sword out. She felt the blade make contact with flesh, and Harriet rematerialized at once, flying backward with a pained yelp.

A triumphant feeling rushed through her. _So that's it! That's the secret to her Semblance!_ Whenever Harriet used her teleportation, her body matter would collapse for a single moment, before moving to its destination. But she was still a tangible entity, so Summer could perceive her movements if she was close enough. If she could predict where Harriet was going to rematerialize, the Faunus would lose her main advantage.

 _Alright,_ Summer thought. _Now it's time to turn the tables on her!_ She fired a magazine from her gunblades, and Harriet deflected them with her claws. "I can tell from your expression that you think you're onto something," she said as her face contorted in anger. "But it doesn't matter - my skills still exceed yours."

As Summer watched, the Faunus' body became enveloped in a dark glow. For a moment, she thought it was Aura, but it was decidedly different from the energy that had surrounded her earlier. It was something else - while Aura was little more than tangible power radiating from an individual's soul, the mere presence of this mysterious power was filling Summer with dread. Her throat was going dry at the sight of it, and it took all her effort just to not drop her weapon. Harriet raised her claws as the energy concentrated itself into the gauntlets, making them seem almost demonic in appearance.

" _This_ is was a loyal servant of Salem is capable of!" Harriet swung her claws, causing dark energy balls to fly in Summer's direction. She ran to avoid them, and swung her blade to strike the Faunus. However, whatever the strange energy was had encased her body like a shield, and her weapon simply bounced harmlessly off of it, with no indication that any Aura had been taken off. _No way! Just how much stronger is she now?_

Harriet teleported again, and Summer was able to track her movement and fire off an arrow at her as she materialized. It didn't harm her, but managed to knock her back several steps. A little hope returned to Summer's heart. At the very least, she could hold her off until the dark energy wore off...assuming, of course, that it did.

Suddenly, Harriet stretched her claws outward, and Summer could sense that a dangerous attack was imminent. She leapt up just as the Faunus launched a powerful red energy beam in her direction, shattering a building behind her. She looked down to see several lance-like projectiles flying at her out of portals that had appeared near Harriet, and she quickly shot down down in quick succession, before changing back to blade form and striking Harriet on the head.

The Faunus stumbled back, and without warning, launched into a flurry of lightning-fast strikes with her claws, forcing Summer to react as fast as she possibly could to parry them all. _One, two, three, four..._ Soon, she lost count, and her arms were growing weary. Knowing that she couldn't possibly take much longer, she attempted a cross slash, putting all her remaining strength into the blow. She felt the blades make contact...followed by the sinking feeling of despair as her swords were promptly knocked out of her hands, landing some distance away.

"N-no…" She stared at Harriet in panic. The Faunus girl met her gaze for a moment, before glancing at her gauntlets in surprise. The tips of her claws had been cut clean off, severely blunting her weapons. "...Hmph," she muttered, glancing back at Summer with grudging approval. "I seem to have overdone it a bit. Well, no matter. As long as I can still fi-"

She was cut off by a loud rumble, one that caused the ground beneath them to shake with violent tremors. Nearby, several buildings collapsed into piles of rubble. "Wh-what's happening?" Summer stammered, stumbling backward as she scrambled to retrieve Phoenix Heart. _Is this an earthquake._

Harriet smiled. "Well, it looks like the plan went off without a hitch. I suppose that means my role here is over." She gave Summer a quick bow. "Goodbye for now, Summer. We'll settle this the next time we meet."

"Wait!" Summer yelled, but Harriet leapt back and vanished in an instant. All around her, the tremors continued, getting harsher by the second. She looked up at the sky, and realized, with a start, that the Soulcage was not floating where it usually was. Instead, what appeared to be a tall pillar of smog was rising into the sky, slowly assuming a physical shape.

Dread filled her as she watched it grow, realizing that this... _thing_ possessed the all-too-familiar molten eyes. "This is…" she whispered. "A Grimm?"

"What the hell _is_ that thing?!" Tai yelled. He, Heather and the general had stopped fighting, and they were all staring in the same direction - at the massive creature that was slowly rising out of the sand.

"That," Argent replied, "is the Leviathan. One of the ancient creatures of Grimm, preexisting the original humans, and a demon whose jaws devour the world. The cries of the tormented souls within the Soulcage have given it sustenance, and now, it has awakened once more! Once the beast has ravaged the Kingdom of Vacuo, the relic will be ours for the taking, and Remnant will be plunged into chaos...and from that chaos, the war that Onyx has so desperately sought will come forth."

Heather shook her head. "That's….that's completely insane! I still don't fully understand the circumstances behind all this, but all I need to know is that we have to stop you, Father." She drew her pistols once more. "I will see to it that you repent for your crimes, for your own sake."

"Yeah. And it doesn't matter how big that thing is - it's just another Grimm, which means a Huntsman can kill it," said Tai.

Summer walked up to the two of them, and the three Huntsmen stood facing Argent, who held Cocytus Shard in a tight grip, eyes opened wide in defiance of his foes. "Very well. If you'll continue to deny my offer for peace, and stand against Onyx's ambitions...prove to me that you have what it takes! Come at me, Huntsmen!"

Despite the feverish pounding in her chest as she recalled the last time she had fought the general, and the shivering in her hands, Summer forced herself to grip her bow tighter. She charged forward with Tai and Heather at her side, firing arrows to catch him off guard. Heather provided backup fire, and the dual barrage forced Argent into a defensive stance, too occupied with defending himself to retaliate. Tai engaged him up close, throwing punches reservedly.

As they fought, the demented, otherworldly screams of the Leviathan rang in the distance, and dark clouds began to cover the sky above them. Something began to fall from the clouds, and as Summer looked up in surprise, she thought it had started to rain. However, the drops that were falling were too big to be mere raindrops, and they were as black as the darkest night.

To Summer's horror, the dark matter began to take shape, creating the familiar forms of Beowolves, Creeps, and other lesser Grimm. Even as their sharp black limbs were still forming from the shapeless dark slime, they lunged at the battling humans. "Look out!" Heather yelled, shooting down a Creep that was running toward Tai. The blonde Huntsman leapt back in surprise, looking around frantically at the Grimm that were appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "Wh-what the…?"

"So it's already started." Argent glanced at a trio of Beowolves that were approaching him from the left, and halfheartedly flicked Cocytus Shard several times. The beasts immediately fell to the ground, their limbs severed from their bodies. "How bothersome - I didn't expect there'd be this many." Ignoring the Huntsmen, he cut down several other Grimm that threw themselves at him.

Though it seemed that they had formed a temporary alliance, Summer's heart was still wary of the general as she and her comrades began fighting off the Grimm assault. No matter how many of the beasts were eviscerated, blown to pieces or riddled with bullet holes, more of them simply came raining down from the dark clouds above.

"Is that thing the source of these Grimm?" she yelled while surveying the area. It only seemed like there were more of the beasts than before - now Ursas and Griffons were joining the fray. Another strange Grimm, a squid-like, tentacle-clad creature that was unfamiliar to Summer, lurked on the sidelines of the battle, as if simply observing. _We can't last forever against them,_ she thought, desperation overtaking her.

The general looked up at the clouds. "You can leave that to me." He thrust Cocytus Shard upward, and a ray of glowing white Dust shot out, spreading out into several smaller beams as it flew toward the dark matter, piercing through the unformed Grimm that were still falling. The rays surrounded the cloud and encased it in a giant ball of ice, hovering silently in the air. Its shadow covered half of the whole city, and the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees from its presence.

"Hmmmmph!" In a flash, Argent swung his blade countless times, each swing too fast to even perceive. As he sheathed the sword, the ice shattered into thousands of fragments, raining down on the streets below. There was no trace left of the clouds, nor were any more Grimm spawning. Feeling encouraged, energy returned to Summer's body as she and the others began to dispose of the remaining beasts.

Heather was staring at her father. "Even just now...you were still holding back, weren't you?" she asked, her voice solemn. "If you had used that technique - or anything similar - against us, we wouldn't have stood a chance. At its full strength, I don't think even Headmaster Ozpin could win against that sword…"

"..." The general said nothing. His gaze was as solemn as ever.

Summer pulled back her bow and impaled an Ursa through the eye with an arrow. Suddenly, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Near the airship, Autumn's head was peeking out, glancing around nervously. "U-umm...what was that? Huh...?" Blinking, she stared up at the ice falling from the sky, stepping out of cover. "Is it snowing? It's really pretty…"

A sudden surge of panic seized Summer's heart. "No, Autumn!" she yelled at the girl. "It's still dangerous! Get bac-"

She was cut off by a hideous, soul-piercing screech from nearby. It was the strange squid Grimm from before, which had stood eerily still all this time. Its tentacles were stretched outward, and its entire body had split open to reveal what appeared like an enormous, gaping maw. Before anyone had time to react, the bizarre creature lunged at Autumn, swallowing the young girl in a gulp, before melting into a thin black liquid, vanishing into the cracks in the ground.

Summer blinked. Her mind went numb, registering only the sharp pounding in her head as she stared, blankly, at the spot where Autumn had been mere moments ago. _No,_ she thought desperately, taken aback by the sheer suddenness of what had just happened. _No, no, no, no…_

The general was staring in the same direction, a stunned expression on his face. "That was...a Styxian Grimm," he murmured. "It shouldn't have spawned like all the regular beasts. Did it arrive here with some purpose? ...Hmm?" Suddenly, he turned to Summer, looking at her in surprise.

Summer herself didn't realize what was happening. All she could perceive was the memory of Autumn being swallowed off by that grotesque creature, over and over. She didn't notice that her body had begun to glow, as waves of silver light began to pour out from her eyes. In a trance, she made a sweeping gesture with her left hand, and the light washed over the entire area in a bright flash. Several of the Grimm howled, before their screeches were abruptly cut off.

When the light faded, Summer's vision slowly began to return. Her mind still fuzzy, she looked around to see that all the Grimm in the area had been frozen, standing still as statues with their bodies encased in stone. Heather was on the ground, furiously rubbing her eyes while glancing around in confusion.

"...I understand now. This is what Ozpin was warning us about." Argent's voice caught her attention. She turned to see the general holding his blade to Tai's throat, holding the young man down. He stared at Summer with a furious fascination in his eyes. "So the silver eyes really were real after all. What unbelievable power - it easily surpasses the power of Ouroboros."

Still in her trance, Summer felt herself drawing Phoenix Heart, aiming an arrow at the general's head. Her weapon began to glow with the same silvery light that had come from her eyes.

"What are you doing, Father?" Heather yelled. "Let him go at once!"

Argent shook his head, pressing Cocytus Shard closer to Tai's neck. "No matter what happens, my path still remains certain," he snarled. "I have already condoned, and been responsible for untold amounts of suffering - getting blood on my hands is just a necessary step! If you want your friend to live-"

Summer didn't register anything they were saying. She remembered vaguely that she had hoped to save the general, for his daughter's sake. That there was a chance to redeem him. But now all she could register was how foolish that sentiment was. The only thing that mattered...was to punish the wicked people of the world.

She loosed the arrow.

The projectile pierced through Argent's head, and he fell backward onto the ground, Tai escaping from his loosened grip. The ringing in Summer's ears grew louder, and what was left of her consciousness was soon flowing away like water. As her strength abandoned her, the bow slipped from her now-shaking fingers. Her vision went white, and she felt herself fall…

* * *

 _Great Vortex_

The two weapons clashed together with an earth-shattering _CLANG!,_ the impact causing the raging sandstorm around them to dissipate for a brief moment. Ozpin attacked with a flurry of inhumanly fast strikes from his cane, but failed to even make a dent in Onyx's zweihander. He leapt back as the other headmaster swung the great blade, generating a beam of black lightning.

Ozpin brought the cane downward, and an emerald shield sprung up to protect him from the blast. Straightening himself, he surveyed his opponent with dissatisfaction. "You're slipping, Desmond," he noted. "I see you now require both hands to wield that blade. So not even you can outrun your age forever."

"Ha! You have no authority to speak about _age,_ Ozzy," Onyx laughed callously. "Don't misunderstand me. I simply wanted to try a different, more defensive stance in battle. Only fitting, considering I was going up against you, friend. But since you're feeling nostalgic…" With a flourish, he took his right hand off the sword, before swinging it around with ease. He leapt at Ozpin with increasingly fast strikes, forcing him backward.

"Hmph!" Ozpin retaliated with a quick thrust of his cane, glancing Onyx's side. He grunted in pain as he raised the obsidian blade defensively.

"I see what you mean," said Ozpin calmly. "With one hand, you might be more agile, but wielding it with both hands allows for greater bulk and defense. To think you've mastered both stances...you're worthy of praise there, if nothing else."

Onyx smiled, shaking his head. "As are you, Ozzy. You and I, we're the only ones left who carry the legacy of the Great War's heroes. All these new grasshoppers thinking they know how to fight and survive...they can't possibly hope to compare. But a second Great War will force them to see the truth, and better themselves - or die."

"A second Great War? Is that what Salem wants, as well?"

"Heheheh...since when was this about what Salem wanted? You said it yourself, Ozzy - ultimately, I serve no master but myself. Unsealing the Leviathan just happened to be part of both our plans...but once the White Yang is in my possession, I'll consider my alliance with her to be over. Don't you worry - I'll do what you never could, and crush her with its magnificent power!"

"How arrogant of you, Desmond." Ozpin's eyes narrowed in a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You honestly think that you can destroy Salem with just one of the relics?"

"You really are a fool, old friend. Salem may talk a big game, but at the end of the day, she's nothing but a fraud, hiding behind the strengths of others to make herself seem competent. The moment that adversity presents itself, all her false power will simply crumble to ashes." Onyx let out a hearty laugh. "My, that sounds awfully like someone else I know. Wouldn't you agree, Ozzy?"

Ozpin didn't answer. Some feeling - call it a premonition, or perhaps an instinct that had not been used for far too long - was rising in him. He allowed himself to smile for a moment, and closed his eyes just as the wave of silver light engulfed the Leviathan.

Hearing Onyx's yell of surprise, he ran forward and swung his cane in a single clean motion, knocking the other headmaster's blade out of his hands. When he opened his eyes, the sandstorm that had billowed around them was gone, and the Leviathan's movements had noticeably slowed.

"Bah…" Onyx groaned as he shook his head groggily. He glared in the direction of the city in the distance. "That was...the Eyes of Lycanthra...so that little girl really did have the potential after all, hmm?" He turned back to Ozpin with a weary smile. "But it wasn't quite enough to stop the beast. It seems she was unable to harness its full power, so it changes nothing. If this was your trump card, friend, I'm afraid you've really let me down this time."

"...That's because she wasn't." A voice came from behind him. " _I_ am the trump card."

Suddenly, the tip of a spear burst out from Onyx's chest, staining his shirt with his own blood. The old man's eyes widened in shock, and a choking gasp escaped his lips before he collapsed to his knees. From behind him, his assailant drew the harpoon from his body, standing over the headmaster's crippled form.

"You…" Onyx snarled, recognizing his attacker. He raised his arm weakly, as if trying to reach for his throat. "Herman...Whitehead? The one who transferred out of Atlas in second year…?"

"Shut up. You're done talking, old man." Staring down at Onyx with an icy-cold stare, Herman Whitehead raised his harpoon above the headmaster's chest, ready to deal a second blow. "You have yourself to thank for this. You placed yourself in the perfect position for us to dispose of not only you, but the Leviathan, as well - all in one fell swoop."

"Curses...I can't possibly...my...relic…"

Herman smirked. "Oh, you want that relic? Well, you're in luck. Here you go." The tip of his harpoon split open, revealing the white crystal that lay at its core, emitting an eerie, pulsating light. "Congratulations, Desmond Onyx. The thing you've been looking for for so long...is going to be the last thing you ever see."

Before Onyx could respond, he plunged the harpoon into the headmaster's body. The old man let out a hoarse cry that was abruptly cut off by the blood escaping from his mouth. His body convulsed briefly and went still. After a moment, the crystal in the harpoon began glowing, and Onyx's lifeless body began to crystalize into clear white sand. Once he had been completely transformed, Herman withdrew his weapon.

"You did very well, Mr. Whitehead," said Ozpin, walking unflinchingly over to where Onyx lay dead. "Your teammates will not suspect your disappearance, will they?"

"I came up with a suitable excuse - but it's best that I don't stay far away too long," Herman replied tersely. "Anyway, if that's all you needed me to do for you...I guess our partnership is over, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Of course, you also remember my terms, do you not? You know what is left to be done...so if you wouldn't mind, please hand over the relic." He held out his palm in anticipation.

"..." Herman said nothing. He held out the harpoon, and the crystal detached itself from the weapon, flying gently through the air until it landed in Ozpin's hands.

"So the crystal of purification has finally returned to us. With its power, I can dispel the beast's foul presence, at least for a while." Closing his eyes, the headmaster murmured an incantation under his breath, and the relic began to spread a white aura across the surface of the Leviathan. The mighty beast howled, thrashing around as if in anger, as its body began to solidify. In less than a minute, its whole body had become an enormous structure of sand, just like Headmaster Onyx.

Ozpin reached his hand down into the Leviathan's body, retrieving a small black jewel from within the white sand. It seemed to react to the crystal in his other hand, and the two began to glow more violently.

"The Black Yin…" Herman murmured.

"Yes," said Ozpin. "So it was in Salem's possession after all. It seems that Onyx planted it inside the Soulcage - or rather, I assume he made the general do it - to amplify the negative energy that would be produced from it plummeting into the Vortex with hundreds of humans inside. An Elder Grimm powered by one of the relics would have been terrifying indeed...fortunately, I had another relic that could counteract it."

Herman let out a bitter laugh. "You really had it all planned out, huh? Damn you...and all this time, you had me act as your little servant boy. And now that it's over? I don't even get a reward. Instead, I have the humiliation of handing over the one thing I wanted out of all this to begin with."

"Your reward," said Ozpin with a sudden steely gaze. "Was not being thrown in jail and executed for what you did. Do not think I spared your life out of the kindness of my heart, Herman. You attacked one of my Academies, stole its relic, and even took the life of a very talented and kind Huntress, whom I knew quite well...You never told her daughter about that, did you?"

"Of course not," Herman spat. "There was never any reason for me to say, 'By the way Heather, I was the one who killed your mom. Right on, partner!' or some shit like that. Personally, I prefer planning to make sure she never finds out."

The ash-blonde boy turned around, raising his harpoon. "Well, at least that old Thane will be happy to have his relic back. Must have been hard, huh? Pretending that it hadn't been stolen from right under his nose, for all those years?"

"You underestimate Thane. He, too, played his part perfectly. Onyx and Argent never suspected that what they had been looking for had already been taken long ago. But now, the relics must be placed back where they belong, so that order may be maintained once more." Ozpin smiled sadly at the young man. "If it's any comfort, I empathize with your struggle. You needed the White Yang's power to save your people...I assume you'll be returning to them once graduation ends?"

"That's right," said Herman. He became surrounded by a bright light that enveloped his body, making him seem almost transparent for a moment.

"Back to the Kingdom forsaken by the gods," he said, as he was transported away. "Back to Eden."

* * *

 **A/N: "Argent" can mean "silver" in French.**


	47. Moving Forward

**Chapter 22: Moving Forward**

"Ughh…" Summer groaned, gingerly moving her body as her eyelids slowly fluttered open. Light was seeping into her eyes, sending short burst of pain through her head. She could hear voices from somewhere nearby. "Autumn...just leave me alone, ok?" she murmured, smiling as she moved her arm to feel the soft bedsheets covering her.

It was common for the bubbly little girl to disturb her sleep in the morning, whether it was for a simple prank or because she wanted to play a game of hide-and-seek. What made it all the more infuriating for Summer was when Autumn would go for as long as a week without disturbing her, only to randomly leap onto the bed and harass her when her guard was at its lowest.

Still, annoying as it was, Summer found it endearing, and in her own way she looked forward to moments like this - treasured them, even. They were what made the time she spent away from Beacon Academy, and from her comrades on Team STRQ, precious memories all by themselves.

"Honestly, I'll be up in a minute," Summer groaned, forcing her eyes open. "Why don't you go down and get breakfast while - huh?" She blinked furiously, glancing around in shock.

She was not lying in the comfort of her little shack on Patch Island. And the light that had been shining in her eyes came from the light panels that hung over her on the ceiling. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she recognized the pristine, medicinal smell of a hospital bedroom.

As she looked around, she realized that she had found herself in the same general hospital that they had taken Raven last year, during the Vytal Festival. Back then, the dark Huntress had sustained a bullet injury from their battle with Argent Fox, atop the Embassy.

 _Argent..._ The name instantly sent a sharp pain through her brain, like a thousand thorns were being driven through her. And suddenly, everything came back to her. How she had drawn back that bow, and unflinchingly sent her arrow flying straight through the general's head. _Did I really do that?_ She thought, feeling both horror and wonder. Exactly what had happened at that moment still felt so blurry...

And then there was Autumn.

In an instant, despair washed over Summer's body as she recalled, clear as day, the moment when the young girl had vanished into the jaws of that strange Grimm. _No...stop it..._ she tried to drive the memory away, but it only accomplished the opposite: as if it were disobeying her wishes, her mind began to replay it over and over.

Summer squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to lull herself back to sleep so she could be spared from her anguish. But it was no good, and after what felt like an eternity, she finally accepted that she was well and truly awake.

It was at this point that the voices she was hearing were slowly becoming clearer. "I suppose we've won, all things considered. Still, it was close - too close." A woman's voice, someone she didn't recognize.

"Peace has been maintained for now." With a start, Summer recognized the second voice as belonging to Professor Ozpin. "How long that will last is what will be determined."

"Hmph. I have a funny feeling about that," said the woman with a tinge of scorn in her voice.

Opening her eyes, Summer snuck a glance in the direction of the voices. Ozpin stood some distance away from her bed, wearing his usual headmaster's attire. He was conversing with three other people - a tall, amber-haired woman with a regal appearance, a thin, aging man with graying hair, and a young man in a military outfit who Summer recognized as James Ironwood. _What are they talking about?_ she wondered.

"Carnelia. Thane. I must thank both of you for your cooperation," said Ozpin with a courteous bow. "It was because of you two that I was able to keep Desmond Onyx deceived for as long as I did. Had he known that the White Yang was gone, I have no doubt that his suspicions would have immediately fallen on me. It was a risky gamble."

"One we wouldn't have to take if the person tasked with guarding it had simply done his job," Carnelia Stein replied disdainfully. She shot a quick glance at Thane, who noticeably flinched and looked away from her. Satisfied by his reaction, she turned back to Ozpin. "Well, regardless, with Onyx and General Fox out of the picture, it seems we've dealt a severe blow to Salem - the first in a while, if I'm not mistaken."

Thane shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Speaking of the general, what shall we do with his blade? A demonic sword forged with crystals from the Lake of Achelon...it's not something we can just have lying around. Honestly, I'm surprised Onyx never bothered to use it, for all his obsession with power."

"Desmond knew where his strengths lay," replied Ozpin. "He understood, more than most men I have known, that the wielder judges a weapon's worth, not the other way around. Perhaps he simply believed Argent's skill with the blade exceeded his own. And as for the Cocytus Shard...we'll simply have to return it to the Tower."

"I'd have agreed with that decision just yesterday, but now I'm not so certain." Carnelia's expression turned serious, and she quickly glanced around the room, as if afraid that someone might be listening. Of course, Summer _was_ indeed listening, so she quickly closed her eyes to appear asleep. "The Emerald Tower isn't safe anymore, Ozpin. An attempt on the life of one of our own should be proof of that."

Summer felt a sense of wonder, watching them talk. So these were the Headmasters of the Huntsmen Academies. It was strange to think that she was currently in the same room as three of the strongest people in the world, who in many cases held more governmental authority than the Council. She had to admit, she hadn't thought they'd be...so prone to bickering.

"I wonder...could this be Onyx and Argent's work as well?" Thane murmured anxiously. "Even if the general wasn't part of the inner circle, I'm certain that Onyx would know all the members' names."

"Not Leo," Carnelia insisted. "His appointment was kept secret for the sole purpose of keeping Onyx and other potential traitors in the dark. I myself didn't know he was a member until recently. The unfortunate truth is, it's likely we have a mole in the circle itself."

Shade's headmaster sighed, wringing his hands. "Then...no one who's set foot in the Emerald Tower can be trusted anymore. Honestly, many of them are unsavoury folk to begin with - I wouldn't put betrayal past them. I'm sure Cloake must have known somehow...and I've never particularly trusted Rainart…"

"That's enough," said Ozpin, his voice suddenly becoming cold as ice. "Sowing discord among our members is precisely what the enemy wants - do not grant them that wish. Come now, we still have unfinished business regarding the current incident. We will continue to discuss this matter, but in a more...suitable place." He shot a worried glance in Summer's direction.

"Will she be waking up soon?" asked Thane anxiously. "You seemed to be waiting to speak with her when we came in."

Carnelia was staring at Summer in curiosity. "So she finally awakened to that power, hmm? Looking at her right now, I honestly expected more. Still, it seems she did an adequate job considering what she and her teammates were up against."

"She was the one who killed the general." James Ironwood, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke up. "You can't let her get off scot-free after what she did."

Carnelia shot him a withering glare. "She killed a criminal, and a traitor. One that you followed without question. Honestly, it's a miracle you were given a pardon, let alone promoted to his rank! Whatever was going through Ozpin's head when he thought that was a wise decision is beyond me."

"James' loyalty is a virtue - one that will make him a valuable ally now that he is free of Argent's influence," replied the subject of Carnelia's ire. "Professor Terrion of Atlas Academy - who has agreed to take up Onyx's mantle as headmaster - has given his full approval. I imagine both of them will find themselves quite busy in their new positions."

"That's right," replied Ironwood, raising his chin as if in defiance. "And my first order as the new general of the Atlesian army will be to declare full support of the Geppetto Initiative. In the coming years, I will devote millions of Lien to boost Professors Ozmov and Polendina's efforts in constructing battle droids. From now on, this will be the future of Atlas."

Carnelia stared at the general in disgust. "You can't possibly be serious. You do realize this is precisely what Mantle was trying to do when the Great War broke out, don't you? You'll only be repeating history if you go through with this!"

"Argent Fox's soldiers were naive and manipulated...as was I. I'm sure most humans would have been the same - he was an excellent commander, after all. Machines will not make such incautious mistakes. As repentance for my foolishness, I will make sure that a calamity like this never happens again."

"This is...utter madness." Spitting at the floor in disgust, Haven's headmaster turned toward the door. "I hope you're happy with your decision, Ozpin," she shouted as she walked away. "Don't say I never warned you."

"Madame Stein-" Ironwood reached out to her, his face wrinkling in distress.

Ozpin put a comforting hand on the general's shoulder. "Carnelia will be fine. She's rather...unaccustomed to things not going her way. That being said, she's not entirely wrong. Your youth has gifted you with potential, but it brings danger as well. I have high expectations, James. I hope you will do your best to meet them."

"Of course, sir." The young general bowed.

The three men continued to talk for another minute, their voices becoming too quiet for Summer to make out what they were saying. Eventually, they left the hospital room in silence, the newly-appointed general trailing behind the two headmasters as the door slammed shut behind them. Summer lay on her bed, not making a sound, trying to process what she had just heard.

 _So, she finally awakened to that power, hmm?_

That was right...something had happened to her back there, at the moment when Autumn had been snatched away from her. But the precise details of the event were still incredibly fuzzy. All she could remember was a strange white glow enveloping everything, and pulling back her bow with the intent to kill…

"Ugh…" A groan of pain rang out from the bed beside her, catching her attention. Recognizing the voice, Summer quickly turned her head, wincing at the resulting pain in her neck. "Qrow…" she murmured.

"Summer? That you?" Cringing, the young man slowly sat up in his bed, clutching the thick white bandages wrapped around his abdomen. "Damn...what the hell happened? That old man Thane bailed Sis and I out...and then the last thing I remember is carrying her all the way here." He gingerly felt his forehead. "...Shit. Did I fall on my head and knock myself out? That would be embarrassing as hell."

He realized Summer wasn't replying. "Hey," As if realizing that something was wrong, he turned to her with a concerned frown. "Are you alright?" Narrowing his eyebrows, he leaned in slightly. "Oh yeah. What exactly happened when you guys went to fight the general? I caught a bit of that conversation right now, and they said you...well…"

Summer opened her mouth. "A…" she croaked, her voice catching in her throat. "Autumn…" she whispered, holding back a sob.

"Huh? What'd you say?"

Summer took a deep breath, trying in vain to force back her tears, even as they leaked out from her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks in long, watery streams, staining her bedsheets. Once she had calmed herself, regaining most of her composure, she told Qrow about what had happened during the battle in Vacuo. In return, her partner filled her in about their encounter with Ragna and Fenrir, and what they'd learned about their old tribe.

Once they were both done, the two of them sat quietly in their respective beds. For a full minute, neither of them said a word. Finally, Qrow began to speak. "I…" His voice was shaking.

 _Please don't say it,_ Summer thought desperately. The last thing she needed right now was people expressing sympathy for her, especially when it was someone like Qrow, whom she had slowly come to respect for his refusal to ever show worthless pity.

"I'm...sorry," Qrow said, so quietly that Summer could hardly hear him. "...It's my fault."

"Huh?" Summer blinked in surprise. _What does he mean by that?_ "N-no, don't say that. It had nothing to do with you…"

"You're wrong. Ragna, he...he told me the truth about my Semblance." Qrow clenched his fists, and gnashed his teeth in anger. "I don't just have the power to become a bird - I embody my namesake, the crow, physically _and_ spiritually. And just like a crow, I bring bad luck to everyone who gets close to me. And that includes you."

He turned to her, blinking furiously as if holding back tears. "I thought he was just full of shit at first, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. And if my Semblance was the reason you lost someone so close to you...well, I guess I'm to blame."

"Th-that's not true!" Summer insisted. "You don't have any reason to trust anything he said! And even if your true Semblance brings bad luck, that doesn't make you at fault for anything that happened! Remember, our team's been together for four years now, and we've managed just fine - even when times were hard! I don't blame you, Qrow...and you shouldn't, either."

Her partner didn't reply. He simply laid down in the bed, slowly, and turned over on his side. Summer tried calling out to him several times, but to no avail. After about a minute, she gave up.

Finding herself unable to go back to sleep, she forced herself out of her bed, struggling to regain the feeling in her legs as her feet touched the floor and tried to fit into her slippers. Limping, she exited the room and walked down the hallway, eventually reaching the door next to the staircase. The name _Raven Branwen_ was written on the list of patients currently being attended to. After a moment's thought, Summer nervously pushed the door open.

Tai sat by Raven's bedside, staring anxiously at the dark Huntress. Summer was alarmed by the sight of her - she had never seen Raven in such a...damaged state. Her body was heavily bandaged, and her face was covered with scrapes and bruises. She was fast asleep, with her right arm lying to the side, an IV tube attached to it.

"Um...hey," said Summer quietly, walking over to the bed.

"...Hey," Tai replied tersely, not even looking at her. His eyes, filled with concern, were fixated solely on Raven's unmoving form. For just a moment, Sumer felt a wave of jealousy rush through her. She immediately felt ashamed of herself. _Now's not the time for that!_

She could tell that the blonde warrior wasn't in a talking mood either, but she opened her mouth to speak anyway. "Where...where's Heather?"

"...I don't know," Tai muttered. "Probably helping with the emergency response crew right now - you know how hardworking she is. She just kinda...ran off after we carried you to the hospital. Can't say I blame her, to be honest." He looked up at her, frowning. "Hey...what exactly did you...what happened to you back there?"

"I honestly have no idea," Summer admitted. Her hand instinctively moved to her eye, and she flinched as another shot of pain rang through her head.

"Well, whatever it was, it sure did a number on those Grimm. And then there was that giant whale thing that appeared out of the sand and just disappeared a few minutes later, and then I heard that Professor Onyx was killed…" Tai suddenly grabbed his head and knelt down in frustration. "Goddammit! None of it makes any sense! How the hell are we supposed to save the world when we can't even be sure what we're fighting against?"

After a moment, he seemed to calm down. "...Sorry about that, Summer." Managing a weak smile, Tai picked up something off the floor and handed it to her - Phoenix Heart. "Here. You dropped this. Heather thought you might want it back."

Silently, Summer took the bow in her hands. Tai watched her with concern in his eyes. "Umm, hey...for what it's worth…" He paused, as if collecting his thoughts. "I just wanted to say that, what happened to the general...it wasn't your fault. The only person here who's really to blame is Onyx, and he's dead now. You don't have to beat yourself up over this, Summer. Really."

 _How can you say that? I shot him. I shot Argent Fox in cold blood, right in front of his own daughter._ The former general was dead - murdered, by her own hand. By the bow that she had sworn would serve as a tool to protect others, no matter what the cost. And today it had done the exact opposite. Summer stared at the wretched weapon in disgust, and part of her wanted to throw it away right then and there. But one thing stopped her.

 _Phoenix Heart._ She still remembered the enthusiasm in Autumn's voice when she had first proposed the name of her adoptive mother's new weapon. Summer had laughed good-naturedly at the cheesiness of the name, but after mulling it over for a while, she'd decided that it had some charm to it. After enough nagging from the girl, she'd finally caved in, and the bow's new name had been set in stone.

But Autumn was no longer here. And as silly as it sounded, it felt like a part of her still resided within the bow she had named. The thought of it was...oddly calming, somehow.

Fighting back tears, Summer gave Tai a nod of thanks, and made her way out of the room, clutching Phoenix Heart in her hands.

* * *

 _Beacon Academy - 2 Weeks Later_

"Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen. Throughout your time here at Beacon, you four have proven yourself in the field of battle, and shown true camaraderie and strength as a team. Together, you have conquered constant obstacles, and now, it is the greatest honour of us here at Beacon to present to you your diplomas."

Applause rang out through the auditorium as Glynda Goodwitch finished her speech. On the stage, Summer smiled, wincing at the many camera lights flashing in the darkness ahead of her. Beside her, Qrow and Tai were grinning at each other, and exchanged an enthusiastic fistbump. Raven, meanwhile, stood up straight, a serious frown on her face as she seemed to stare ahead at nothing.

Professor Forrester walked over to Team STRQ, holding four packages in midair with her Gravity staff. With a smile and a _whoosh_ of her weapon, she sent them flying into the hands of the four students - though Qrow's package hit him in the face first, almost knocking him over and prompting a laugh from everyone in the room. Summer turned hers over in her hands, realizing that it was an emerald-green diploma, with a golden plaque bearing the Valian emblem stuffed in the bottom.

Glancing to her side, Summer saw Team HTHR standing by the edge of the stage, clapping alongside everyone else. Heather noticed that she was looking at her, and gave her a brief smile, but Summer saw that the other girl refused to meet her gaze.

Soon, their moment in the spotlight was over, and Team STRQ stepped down from the stage to make way for the next group of graduates. Immediately, they began to split up and mingle with the other fourth-years, and were soon chatting freely with Team HTHR, and even Team JADE. Raven was asking Herman whether he'd be available to spar sometime, to which the ashen-haired Huntsman replied that, unfortunately, he'd likely be leaving the Kingdom soon. Tai and Jin Shi-Huang had challenged each other to an impromptu arm wrestle, and Qrow was attempting to prove to Regal that he could throw his diploma the highest.

Summer, however, simply excused herself, saying she needed to go to the bathroom. She hastily made her way out of the auditorium, walking briskly down the grand marble hallways she had come to know over the last four years. Moving straight past the bathroom, she ran up the staircase to the top floor, and soon found herself standing before the headmaster's office.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked at the door three times. "Come in," replied Ozpin's voice.

Summer pushed open the door, looking around nervously. She had been in Ozpin's office once before, all the way back in her first year. Qrow had been with her then, too. Looking around the emerald room, she found herself wondering if it had really been so long ago.

"Um…" She turned her head toward the headmaster, who sat calmly at his desk, holding a hot cup of coffee in his hands as always. "You asked to see me, Professor?"

"That's correct. And I must apologize for intruding on what must be a very important day for you," said Ozpin, smiling kindly at her. Meeting his gaze now, Summer was reminded of when she had first seen him. She had thought, for some bewildering reason, that the headmaster had taken an unusual interest in her. Now, she had a feeling she knew the reason. "You must think that I am quite an annoyance."

"N-no! Not at all!" Summer shook her head in protest. "So...what did you want to talk to me about? Is it...um…" Instinctively, her hand moved up to her eyes.

Ozpin nodded, his gaze turning solemn. "Yes...you're very astute, Miss Rose. I'm sure you have many questions about the power you unleashed during the battle in Vacuo...a power you didn't realize you had. And before I continue, please allow me to express my sincere condolences for what...happened. It will provide little comfort for your bereavement, but I believe now is a better time than any for you to finally have some answers. Answers that, I admit, have been hidden from you for quite some time."

Summer said nothing, as her throat had suddenly gone dry. She simply nodded for the headmaster to continue, her heart pounding in anticipation.

Ozpin closed his eyes, and for a few minutes there was nothing but silence. "Tell me…" he finally murmured. "You know of the Story of the Four Maidens, do you not? It's quite a well-known fairy tale...even when I was young, I always loved that story."

"Yes, of course I've heard it," Summer replied, surprised at the sudden inquiry. "That's the one about an old wizard who's visited by four young maidens, who convince him to come out of his house and appreciate his life. That _is_ the one you're talking about, right?"

"Indeed. And I'm sure you also remember how the story ends, don't you?"

"The wizard grants all four girls a fragment of his power, and they travel the world to grant their gifts to many others," Summer recited, still confused. "But what does any of that have to do with...with my eyes?"

"Because the power you possess - the Eyes of Lycanthra - serve as one of the only counters to the powers of the Maidens. A dangerous ability, and one that could serve as potentially fatal impediment to Salem's plans."

Summer blinked, feeling as though she'd been hit by a truck. "Wait...you know about Salem?" she gasped. "And what do you mean by the "powers of the Maidens"? Are you saying they're real?"

"As real as you and me," said Ozpin with a curt nod. Without waiting for her reply, he continued: "The truth is that the fairy tale's ending is incomplete. While the callous old wizard was indeed touched by the young maidens' attempts to reform him, he was not fully convinced. Nor did he trust that his powers would be used for virtuous purposes forever. He was wise, but also an incredibly cynical man. That was why he kept one piece of magic to himself, and to his descendants - as a failsafe, in case the Maidens ever turned to darker purposes, and needed to be stopped."

Seeing, Summer's shocked expression, the headmaster smiled bitterly. "But I suppose that wouldn't have made for quite as uplifting an ending, would it? I can understand why storytellers chose to omit that part from the final story."

"So, then…" Still not fully understanding, Summer glanced down at the headmaster's table, staring in wonder at her own reflection. Her bright silver eyes stared back. "You're saying that I'm...descended from this...wizard?"

"Yes - though that in and of itself is not so remarkable. The story is ancient beyond words, after all - most of humanity today is descended in some way from that old man. But only a select few, known in the legends as 'Chevaliers', are chosen to inherit his eyes, and the process is, to put it simply, a roll of the dice. One generation could produce tens of Chevaliers...and sometimes, hundreds of years could pass without a single glint of silver."

Summer frowned. "You sound almost like you were there yourself," she noted.

The headmaster didn't respond, instead continuing his explanation. "Of course, you saw yourself that the Eyes of Lycanthra are not just meant to combat magic-users. When their power is unleashed, they are extremely lethal to Grimm of all kinds. If you look through history books to find the time periods when Grimm attacks were less prevalent, those were times when there was an abnormally large amount of Chevaliers. But when the silver eyes fail to return for too long...catastrophe becomes more and more likely."

"Catastrophe…" Summer murmured, and a thought popped into her head. "Was the Great War one of those, Professor?"

Ozpin smiled. "You learn quickly. Yes, for almost a hundred years before the Great War began, no new Chevaliers were born. After the war's conclusion, I and the others hoped that fate would return to our side...but unfortunately, that would not be the case for a while."

"Then am I the only one of these...Chevaliers? There's no one else?"

"No. Not necessarily. There may be others out there, existing beyond even my surveillance, who could very well live long, fulfilling lives without ever knowing anything about their heritage. And there were others before you, but…" The headmaster closed his eyes. "Most of them...did not meet with a kind fate."

Chills ran down Summer's back, the significance of Ozpin's words not lost on her. "So then...what?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Now that I know...where exactly to I fit in all this? What _are_ these powers, anyway? And how many people knew about this all along?"

Ozpin sighed. "So many questions...but that's understandable, of course. I will begin with the one that, I'm sure, is most prominent in your head. Four years ago, I accepted you into Beacon Academy, despite the staff's wishes, to see if you could rise to your full potential as a Chevalier. I have watched you fight, and grow, into a Huntress many would be envious of. And now? Well, you are a Huntress, and the Huntsman's Association is quite keen on the concept of free will. And so, while I would welcome you into our numbers, the choice is yours. You can continue your life as a Huntress, alongside your teammates. Or join the order that has dedicated itself to fighting against the dark queen, Salem - the Knights of the Emerald Tower."

"I…"

"Of course, you don't have to make your decision now. I understand that this is a lot to take in." The headmaster took a sip of his coffee. "Now then, you asked what your powers actually are. They are a special form of magic that target the demonic essence that dwells within the Grimm. Of course, stronger and older Grimm have developed a resistance to the power, and an untrained Chevalier would be unable to destroy them instantly."

Summer frowned. _Another new term, huh?_ "So this...demonic essence...that's what the creatures of Grimm are made out of?"

"Hmmm...for now, that will suffice, yes. Being comprised almost entirely of the essence, the magic within the Chevaliers' eyes are particularly lethal to the Grimm. When that part of them is obliterated, they become frozen in time, alive yet no longer truly existing in our world. We call this process 'purification'."

Wordlessly, Summer moved her hand across her eyes in wonder. What Ozpin had described to her sounded ludicrous - less believable than a fairy tale. But if it was true...what a terrifying power it was. _To be 'alive' while not 'existing'..._ She hadn't imagined it would be quite this morbid.

"And as for your final question," continued Ozpin. "I believe I have already told you. The Knights of the Emerald Tower, an ancient organization dedicated to fighting Salem's forces, and ensuring that the relics, as well as the power of the Maidens, remain out of her reach. I and the other headmasters command their numbers, and Professors Goodwitch and Forrester are part of their inner circle."

Summer stood there for a moment, still not quite sure how she was supposed to feel about all this. She felt as though she still had hundreds - thousands more questions, but couldn't put a single one of them into words. A minute of silence passed, and she realized that Ozpin was waiting for her response. "So...umm…"

"Take your time," Ozpin urged her.

"So, then…" Summer decided to say the first question that popped into her head. "When you said that you accepted me 'despite the staff's wishes'...does that mean I wasn't good enough to get into Beacon on my own? It was just because I had these...special eyes?"

"I can't deny that," the headmaster admitted. "But I can assure you that the progress you've made throughout these past years has been outstanding, regardless of the unique circumstances behind your acceptance. Make no mistake, Miss Rose - you are a true Huntress, through and through. The Eyes of Lycanthra can only carry you so far, after all. It's never good to rely solely on one skill, because one day, the world will force you to adapt - or die in the attempt."

He took a generous sip of coffee. "And so I say yet again - the choice is yours, Miss Rose... though I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't prefer for you to join our order. And I would gladly teach you how to master your newly awakened power."

Summer hung her head. _No, no, no. I didn't want any of this. All I wanted was…_ She searched her mind, but as far as she could remember, only one thing came up: She wanted to be strong. She wanted to be someone who wouldn't just turn the other cheek and allow herself to be beaten, but would instead stand up not only for herself, but others as well.

Well, now she had that power. It had come at a terrible price, but there it was. All she had ever wanted. She should have been happy. _Even so…_

"I'll think about it," came her reply - a bit more blunt than she'd intended. She quickly turned around and began walking out of the headmaster's office. "Very well then," she heard him say from behind her. "I hope you make the choice you believe is right."

As she reached the door, Summer stopped suddenly. "Um, one more thing," she said, turning back toward Ozpin. "You said that my power targets the demonic essence inside Grimm...but they were also meant to be a counter to these 'Maidens', right? Does that mean that the Maidens are also part demon?"

Ozpin smiled. "All I can say is that you are very perceptive," he replied simply.

Summer sensed that the headmaster was done talking to her. _You're still hiding something from me,_ she thought, a spike of resentment shooting through her. It was something she'd unfortunately come to expect over the past few years. Shaking her head, she left the room, hearing the door close behind her.

* * *

 _Club Malachite, Vale City - 1 Month Later_

As the blaring sounds of the music rang in her ears, Summer sipped her cider, glancing around the bar. Though she'd never been to the place before, it was one of the more popular hangouts in Vale, owned by the illustrious Baron Malachite. Groups of party-goers were dancing on the floor, but Summer didn't feel any motivation to join them. It didn't help that she felt woozy from the alcohol in her drink.

"Hey, you need a refill, Summer?" She looked up. Marguerite Scarlet, former sniper of Team LIME, was staring down at her with a playful grin. She held a half-empty bottle of gin in her left hand, and a tray of glasses in her other. Even with the blinding neon lights flashing through the room, Summer could see the drunken redness on her face. "Hic…'s on the house."

"Should you really be drinking from the owner's supply without his permission?" Summer asked her, smiling as Marguerite poured the sparkling red liquid into her glass. "I heard that's how you lost your last job."

"Hic...oh, I'll be fine." The redhead chugged down her gin and casually wiped her mouth with the cloth she had had around her arm. "And 'sides, you should never trust anything Latte says. I know I wouldn't put my faith in the idiot who gets himself ass-deep in debt after blowing all his life savings on an engagement ring. Seriously, the guy's from a stinkin' rich family! How'd he manage it?"

Summer laughed. "C-come on, I think it's kind of cute. I'm sure he and Isa will be great together. Maybe you'll find someone too."

"Nah. I always end up by myself one way or another," Marguerite slurred. "Those two are god-knows-where, and even Esther's moved out to Mistral to start her own coffee shop." She sighed wistfully. "Ah, bless their souls. Well, I gotta get back to work. Take care of yourself, alright?"

Summer waved at her as she walked away to serve the other customers. After taking a generous sip, she glanced down at her drink, staring at the reflection of her eyes in the sparkling liquid.

"Huh." A man's voice rang out from beside her. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Summer almost spewed out her drink.

Sitting at the seat right next to her, Qrow Branwen stared at her with a mildly irritated frown. The first thing she noticed about him was that his stubble had grown a bit in the weeks since graduation. "Seriously?" he muttered. "You throw a fit at me for having a beer, but then you go and get hammered behind my back? You really are the worst, you know that?"

"Q-Qrow!" She gasped, holding her arm over her mouth as she coughed. "Oh, well, um. S-sorry, I just thought - you know…"

Qrow sighed. "I'm kidding," he grumbled, but his face broke out into a small smile at her awkward reaction. "Really, though. This is the last place I'd ever expect to find you."

"Hmph. Well, I've been told that I'm full of surprises," she replied, a tinge of bitterness in her voice. "Should you really be here, by the way? Don't you bring misfortune to people you care about, or something?"

Qrow stared at her, and for one moment she thought she'd gone too far. Thankfully, he just laughed. "Well, unless a meteor decides to strike this stupid nightclub right here and now, I think we'll be just fine." He called over the barmaid, asking for a whiskey.

"Raven's not with you today, is she?" Summer asked as Marguerite came by with Qrow's beverage. Seeing them, the redhead said nothing, but smirked and flashed Summer a meaningful wink before walking away.

"Nope. Tai invited her over to his village. For some 'extra training', he said. Yeah, right. As if he even needed to hide that shit from me anymore." Qrow sighed, and emptied his entire glass in a swig. "Geez, I needed that. Well, to be honest, this time I'm grateful to him. After everything that's happened, I'd say Sis could use a break...and some time to clear her head. Hate to admit it, but ol' Blondie just might be the right guy to help her with that."

"You're probably right. I'd like to see some of those 'extra training' sessions myself, if that's allowed."

"Ha, ha," Qrow grumbled. "Well, on another time, I...well...I was actually planning to meet up with you eventually, once I had time to think about it."

Summer frowned, feeling confused. "Think about what?"

"Well, it's just…I know we hated each other's guts at first - well, I sure hated you - but we've kinda just had to get along since we were partners, y'know? And I guess that also makes us teammates, or even friends…" He was rambling now. Summer had to strain her ears to keep track of his words. "Guess I'm saying that, we've been partners for a while, so why not try something else for a change? Well, actually, if I was your boyfriend we'd still be partners - that's kind of the definition of a partner and - oh shit." Realizing his blunder, Qrow flushed red, hanging his head in shame.

Summer was taken aback. It took her several moments to fully realize what he had said. An awkward silence ensued as the two of them stared at each other in silence. Finally, she just shook her head. "...Wow."

"Y-yeah," Qrow muttered, his face flushed red. "So, uh...I guess I'll just…" he slowly got up from his seat, not meeting her eyes. "Go and-"

"Alright."

"H-huh?" Her partner blinked at her in surprise. "Wait, really? I mean, aside from the fact that that was the worst fucking attempt at a confession of all time - _ever_ \- you're seriously giving me a shot? Even when you know about my Semblance?"

"You bring bad luck, right? Well, we were in the same dorm for four years and you didn't get me killed." Summer nodded, smiling confidently at Qrow. A strange warmth was growing in her chest. It felt strangely familiar, as if it had always been with her, and she had only just noticed. "And besides, I just have to be really careful so that you don't ruin my life, right? I do that when you're around anyway, so I'll be fine."

"Very funny," Qrow sighed.

"And, well…" Summer took a deep breath, feeling her heart pounding like a drum. "Even if bad things do happen, if it means spending more time with you, I think it's worth it." She held her breath, her face also turning red.

"...Heh. Well, aren't you a smooth talker." Sheepishly, he smiled at her. "So, just to be absolutely sure I didn't hear you wrong...that's a yes, right?"

"Of course." Feeling relieved, Summer returned his smile. "What's the worst that could happen?"


	48. V2 Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Hah...well, at least it's over for now."

In the basement of a run-down rental house standing forgotten in the suburbs of Vale, Ragna Branwen stretched out his arms and yawned, his legs dangling off the table he was sitting on. "Ugh!" He winced, clutching his stomach in pain. "Damn that old man...it still hurts like a bitch." He turned to the side and began coughing up small spurts of blood onto the floor.

"Pitiful," said Fenrir gruffly. He was standing with his back against the wall, arms folded. Opening his eyes slightly, the giant glanced at his older brother with disdain. "Even without my tribesmen, I would have put up a far greater fight."

"I'm sorry - I don't remember asking for your opinion," Ragna spat. "Don't forget why you're here, _Brother -_ because you've got nowhere else left to go. All your hard work got undone in a second, and now you've got no choice but to help us out because they'll kill you if you return empty-handed. Pathetic, isn't it? We're your lifeline, Fenrir - and you know it."

Fenrir said nothing, but turned his head toward the front of the room. "So then...this was your goal all along," he murmured.

"You're damn right it was! With Onyx and his goons out of the city, all I had to do was sneak into their vault and take it. Would've been nice if the relic was there, but eh, didn't really need that stupid rock anyway." A large smile on his face, Ragna walked over to what Fenrir was looking at. "Poor, poor Argent," he chuckled. "I bet he never thought his little project would end up quite like this. He should feel lucky that he'll never have to see it."

Suddenly, the door opened behind the two boys, and they both turned around as a lean figure walked slowly into the room, with the _tip-tap_ of his cane accompanying his footsteps. Adjusting his spectacles, the man smiled kindly at Ragna and Fenrir. "I apologize for my lateness," he said quietly. "I'm glad to see it went well."

"Dad." Ragna bowed respectfully, his usual smirk being replaced by a serious, focused frown. "It's good to see you again." Fenrir simply stood in place, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the man. "...Luka. Luka Branwen."

Luka smiled at the giant. "Well hello, Fenrir. I must say, I'm amazed at how much you've grown over the years. Even without the prototype serum's effects, it's quite impressive. You certainly didn't inherit my genes."

"I have no intention of conversing with you," Fenrir snarled. "I am here only because I am loyal to my blood - a virtue you spat on and dragged through the mud."

"...Ha. Fair enough." For a moment, the archaeologist's eyes darkened, and his smile became just as curved and sinister as Ragna's. "It's a relief, though, knowing that it was a success in the end. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to see one of them up close." Slowly, he limped over to where his sons stood.

"A real sleeping beauty, isn't she?" Ragna remarked.

In front of them was a large , oval-shaped capsule, its insides covered in a thin layer of frost. Inside, a young woman lay with her eyes closed shut. She had long, golden blonde hair that flowed down her back, and she wore a thin blue dress. Every few moments, the capsule's surface would fog up slightly as the girl took her light, shallow breaths.

"Aurora Fox...the Winter Maiden," Luka murmured. "I must give the general credit for hiding her from Salem all this time. And his plan to use the relic's power to cure her was a valiant effort indeed." He smiled wistfully. "I met the girl once, on a visit to Atlas from years ago. Even back then, I considered her to be a viable candidate to inherit the Maidens' power...though I admit, I didn't imagine it would go quite the way it did."

"Ragna told me everything. Hmph...the Winter Maiden being killed by a random assailant, her powers being transferred to her dying daughter, thus saving her life - and in turn, making your objective significantly simpler," Fenrir's voice was incredulous, as if he couldn't believe any of it. "The gods truly have favoured you, haven't they?"

"Gods?" Luka chuckled. "Oh, no. It was nothing but pure luck, and a coincidence. That is all a man like myself is good for, after all - turning coincidence into opportunity. But what an opportunity it was. I could hardly believe that a Maiden would be placed in such an easy position for us to obtain."

Ragna shrugged. "Well, here's hoping that luck continues, right Dad? I mean, now we'll have to keep ahead of Ozpin _and_ that old hag Salem. Talk about a pain in the ass."

"Oh, there's no need to worry about them," his father smiled. He placed both his hands on the capsule, gazing fixedly at the unmoving form of Aurora Fox. "Those two will continue to quarrel and squabble, hurling empty threats at another hoping that eventually, the other will break. It's the only thing they've ever known…

"So let them continue their ancient, meaningless war," Luka continued, his voice lowering to a whisper. "And while they occupy themselves with tearing each other apart, we can finally build our world…"

* * *

As the howls of the Grimm echoed in the distance, the unending darkness hovered over the dismal land. The broken moon hung in the sky, thick purple clouds enveloping its shattered fragments, almost making it appear whole.

Pools of black liquid covered the ground, sending pillars of smoke rising into the air. From within the abyss, the black creatures rose, growling and snarling as they clawed their way into the world, the glow of their molten eyes lighting up the darkness. Up in the crimson sky, flocks of Nevermores flew overhead, their numbers blocking out the moonlight.

A shot rang through the air, blowing off a Beowolf's head. Its brethren paid no heed to its sudden demise, and began to lumber around aimlessly, occasionally stopping to howl or dig their sharp steel claws into the rocks below. On a cliffside above, Moss Creedo reloaded her sniper rifle, kneeling down to take another shot.

"Nice shot," Storm said, standing beside her. With a large grin, he stretched his arms forward and fired a concentrated ball of electricity below, obliterating a horde of Grimm as it made contact. "Heheheh! This sorta trainin's better than any of that Huntsman shit! That Salem woman's cooler than I thought." His partner didn't reply, but nodded as she fired her gun, shooting down a Griffon.

Some distance away, the mechanical avian lounged on the ground, stretching out its enormous metal frame. Psycha knelt by its chest area, pulling open one of the machine's panels. Her hand glowed with green energy as she placed it in its circuitry, filling the bird with Aura. "There's a good boy - take some more." Beside her, Locke stood with his sword in hand, glancing in the distance with a glum look on his face.

Harriet Maroon watched the four of them, not saying a word. These disciples still had a long way to go, and there was no doubt that Salem would place high expectations on them in the coming years. Whether they could meet those standards, or be crushed under their weight, was yet to be seen. The rabbit Faunus had her doubts - but she'd been surprised before.

Suddenly, her ears shot up as she received a signal from her master. Hastily, she activated her Semblance, feeling the usual rush of momentum as her body matter disintegrated, before being flung at lightning speed towards her destination. The first time Harriet had used her 'teleportation', she'd spent an hour throwing up afterwards. But now, it was just another normality to her.

As she rematerialized, Harriet gazed in wonder at the enormous castle that lay ahead of her, with its dark, ominous walls and tall spires that stretched upward, beyond the clouds. Though she had served Grandmaster Salem for many years, it had taken all of those years for her to prove herself as truly worthy. But as her reward, she was finally allowed to enter the deepest depths of the master's domain. The thought of it filled her with anticipation as she entered the castle.

She wandered through the halls in silence, marveling at the architecture around her, composed of murals and artwork the likes of which she had never seen before, and sculptures carved with such precision that no human craftsman could possibly have made it. Finally, she came to the door that led to her master's chamber.

As Harriet entered the room, she immediately knelt and bowed reverently toward her master's form. "Grandmaster," she murmured. "I am honoured to truly be in your presence at last. Please, if there is anything you need of me, ask, and I will perform it to the best of my ability."

"Your loyalty humbles me, Harriet," the Grandmaster replied. "But I have no intention of exhausting you with menial tasks today - as a matter of fact, I would like to further reward you for your continuing service. Behold...for you will bear witness to our newest disciple." As she spoke, a vortex of dark energy began to stir beside her, from which a strange, squid-like Grimm rose, a shrill cry emanating from the row of fangs lining its belly.

Harriet gazed at it in wonder, as the sight of the creature sent chills down her spine. "A Styxian Grimm - a monster said to kidnap humans and bring them to the underworld," she murmured. "Grandmaster...does this mean-"

"Watch, child." At her master's command, the Faunus went silent. She watched as the Styxian's fangs opened, regurgitating a tiny human figure from its gaping bowels. Its task done, the creature slunk back into the dark vortex, and was gone. On the floor, the human shivered, its limp body twitching.

Harriet stared at the figure, recognition dawning on her. "That's the girl…" she whispered.

"Where…" Autumn sobbed quietly, her consciousness returning. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she blinked in confusion at the sudden darkness around her. "Where am I…? Mommy? Is it okay to come out now?"

She heard a growl from nearby, and turned around in fear. All around her, Grimm of all shapes and sizes were approaching her - Beowolves, Ursas, and other unfamiliar creatures whose features she could barely describe, as the mere sight of them seemed to drain all the sanity from her mind, turning all of the girl's nightmares into pleasant dreams. "N-no…" her sobs grew into cries, and she knelt down pathetically, holding her head in her arms as tears flowed down her cheeks. "Please...I don't wanna die…"

"Hush…" An unfamiliar voice whispered soothingly. "Do not be afraid, little one. They will not harm you."

At her voice, the sounds of the Grimm immediately stopped. Fearful, Autumn looked in the direction of the voice, seeing that the creatures were all sitting still, staring obediently at the figure standing in the middle of the room.

The figure was a woman, clad in a long black robe, with locks of hair tied in a bun decorated with obsidian-black ornaments. Despite her humanoid appearance, it would be difficult to call her 'human' in any capacity. Dark purple veins ran through her body, her skin was as pallid as snow, and her eyes were as molten red as the Grimm that now sat obediently at her feet.

"A-ah…" Autumn whimpered, trying to will herself to run, to flee from this person whose mere presence radiated pure malice. But it was no use -it was as if her body had frozen, and she couldn't move a muscle. "Mommy, help me…"

The woman smiled at Autumn, her gaze almost reassuring. "Does my appearance frighten you, little one? My sincere apologies - I assure you that was not my intention." Walking over to the terrified girl, she seemed to float over the pristine floor beneath her. Autumn flinched as she placed a pale hand on her head, but her touch was surprisingly warm. Despite herself, she felt her body loosen, as her fear began to melt away. Slowly, she raised her head to meet the woman's blood-red gaze.

"You are safe now, little one," Salem murmured softly. "Welcome...to our family."

 **End of Volume 2**

* * *

 **A/N: A big thanks to all of you who've kept reading all this time. Looking back at the earliest chapters of Stark from when I first started last March, I can honestly say that I've improved greatly, and it pleases me to see that people actually do enjoy my work. Now that Volume 2's done, it's pretty much the perfect time to go on hiatus, I have exams coming up this month and university starting in September (which means it's almost time to finally update my profile page).**

 **I hope to continue my improvement with Volume 3, which could start anytime from next month to when RWBY Volume 5 starts in the fall. I also hope to move into writing more original works in the near future, which would obviously be posted elsewhere. Until then, I hope you enjoy!**


	49. V3 Prologue

**Volume 3: The Witch's Trial**

 **Prologue**

The sun rose on another hot day, as bright rays of light illuminated the dark corners of the forest below. All was silent, save for the chirping of the birds perched atop the trees, safe from the threats that lurked under their feet. If one listened closely, they might also make out the soft _drip-drip-drip_ of last night's rain falling from the leaves.

Without warning, the silence was broken by a loud, shrill cry, followed by the distinct roar of a Beowolf as it leapt, mercilessly, at its prey from somewhere in the bushes. There was a gnashing of teeth and several other cries, each weaker than the last, and soon the quiet reigned again. Whatever animal had just been lost to nature, the birds cared little, as they remained safely up above, chirping solemnly into the sky.

Far below, sitting at the foot of a tall cedar tree, Samson ate his grits, glancing silently in the direction of the cry. The sound had admittedly put him on guard, but outwardly the Huntsman appeared as calm as ever.

Even so, it was better to be cautious. _Better avoid that area,_ Samson noted, swallowing the last bit of his breakfast. With a grimace, he reached up and pulled off several strands of his hair. They gave off a scarlet glow as he grabbed his weapon, an enormous greatsword with a pure-white blade, and inserted the strands into the long red canister lodged in the handle. The sword began to glow with the same energy.

With that done, he got up and continued toward his destination, not caring that it might be days, weeks, perhaps even months away. He'd already been here long enough for time to not matter. He had to fulfill his mission.

"Are we seriously sending one person into that forest, alone?" A man's gruff voice played out in his memory. "Even an A-rank Huntsman like Samson Heracle won't be able to handle all those Grimm alone."

"We have little choice. There is far too much at stake," another voice replied, this one female.

"And he'll be fine, I'm sure," replied a third. "Ozpin clearly trusts his strength. If anything, the Grimm will probably mistake him for one of them. He sure looks as ferocious as one, after all!"

Samson shook his head, shoving those memories into the back of his mind. There was no point in dwelling on the past. That was what he had always believed.

His assignment was simple, in concept. Investigate the site, and report back anything that would indicate movement by their enemy. But the stakeout location lay at the heart of the treacherous Hantel Forest, where few who went in ever came out to tell their tales. The only certain thing about the place was that it was teeming with Grimm.

Which, of course, was why Samson considered himself to be the ideal man for the task.

He heard a noise from nearby, and instinctively reached for his weapon. However, when the noise repeated itself, he recognized it as a human cry. The Huntsman did not lower his guard, however - being human did not extinguish the possibility of them being an enemy. He approached the source of the sound with caution.

He came across a wide clearing, where a young girl lay in the grass, sobbing while holding her cloak over her head. An enormous, ape-like beast of a creature with a single, eternally glowing red eye - a Beringel. It growled softly as it opened its salivating maw.

Samson's instinct kicked in. _Protect the innocent._ That was his top priority as a Huntsman. He drew his weapon. He swung the weapon as he landed protectively in front of the girl, slicing the Beringel's arm off. Howling in agony, the beast stepped back apprehensively, glancing at the scarlet glow of its stump.

Samson glanced at the girl. "Are you alright, kid?" he asked, his voice a low, raspy growl. She looked up at him, her teal-green eyes peering out from her hood, and nodded silently. Turning back to his foe, he swung his blade to meet the furious Beringel's fist.

The two collided, and the impact launched a gust of wind that knocked the girl back with a yelp. Samson grimaced - truly, the fearsome reputation of a Beringel's strength was not undeserved. Still, that wouldn't be enough to stop him. Flicking a switch on his weapon, the edge of his blade retracted to make way for a small red minigun. A stream of bullets burst out from the tip, tearing the Grimm's arm into shreds.

The beast screeched, its cries even more feral than before as it struggled to stay upright with both its arms amputated. Without hesitation, Samson raised his weapon. A shroud of scarlet-red energy surrounded the blade as he brought it downward, bisecting the Beringel through the head.

Samson breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the beast's body dissolve. With a wry smile on his face, he turned to the girl behind him, who stood silently with her head down. A melancholy warmth flowed through him as he thought of his own children, who had perished at the claws of Grimm years ago.

"It's alright. You're safe now," he murmured as he knelt, extending a hand to her. Suddenly, his body tensed up, as his instincts alerted him to the impending danger. _A killing intent!_ He grabbed his blade and held it defensively in front of him, blocking the sting of the girl's dagger. She removed her hood, revealing her short green ponytail, and the cruel smirk on her face as she leapt backward, extending her dagger into a small glaive. "Awww….you didn't fall for it after all," she giggled, lunging at him.

Snarling, Samson parried several of her strikes, but she was much more agile than he was expecting. The girl struck him in the chest with a brutal stab, and he cried out in pain. In retaliation, he swung his blade and sent her flying into the bushes, out of sight. He approached cautiously, waiting for her to emerge.

 _Whoosh._ He sensed something behind him, and turned around. "Ugh!" Several projectiles hit him all across his body, taking off large chunks of his Aura. When he recovered, he saw that he'd been struck by tiny spheres resembling marbles. They levitated in the air above the girl, who stood serenely some distance away.

"Heehee. Here they come!" Smiling, she raised her arms, and the marbles began flying at him again, far too fast for Samson to deflect them all. _How?!_ He thought desperately as he winced in pain, his Aura levels soon reaching zero. _Her fighting style has completely changed!_

"Hrahhhh!" Samson howled, firing off a round of bullets from his weapon. The girl motioned with her hands, and the marbles moved in front of her to form a shield, protecting her as she fled back into the bushes. "Get back here!" the Huntsman growled furiously, taking a step forward.

He felt the rush of pain as the tip of the glaive burst out of his chest from behind, and Samson gasped, coughing up spurts of blood. Losing his balance, he fell over onto the ground. He struggled to get up, as the world around him started to blur. Turning around onto his back, he saw the girl standing above him, the marbles floating around her head.

"See? I told you he'd come," she murmured happily, as if addressing someone. "Milady is never wrong, after all."

 _Salem,_ Samson realized, growing delirious as he lay there. _So they knew. But how….could someone have…?_

The girl raised her hand, and a purple marble perched itself directly above the Huntsman's exposed head. She smiled down at him. "Sweet dreams, mister," she cooed.

Samson closed his eyes. _Ozpin...forgive me._

The marble embedded itself in his skull with a sickening _crunch._

* * *

Tai took a deep breath, his eyes shut tightly as he prepared his stance. _Calm. Be calm._

He formed a fist, feeling the energy flow through him. His heart was pounding as he fought to contain it, all while hoping his arm wouldn't explode from the power coursing through his veins. _Be calm. Focus on your surroundings. Clear your mind._ In his mind, he repeated the maxims that he had been taught from a young age.

Hearing a sound from the back of his ear, Tai immediately sprung into action. Turning around on his foot, he swung his fist to deflect the projectile that was flying in his direction. His eyes still shut, he followed up with an uppercut to the right, blocking another shot. Feeling confident, he raised his arm, feeling the warm sting of his tattoo glowing with lightning Dust.

He sensed more of them coming, this time in larger clusters. "Hmmph!" He held out his hand, and an explosion of electric energy burst out from his palm, vaporizing several incoming projectiles at once. Suddenly, he gasped. _Oh, crap!_ More of them were coming...but this time they were flying at him from all directions.

 _I guess I'll just have to do_ that _!_ Yelling, he began focusing all his energy into his right fist. He felt the pain in his arm grow, continuing even as it became nigh-unbearable. "Take…" Unable to resist, Tai opened his eyes, looking up to see about ten glowing orbs approaching him. His arm was sparkling with a sinister dark energy. "... _THIS!_ "

He swung his fist upward. An ear-shattering explosion followed, sending out powerful strikes of black lightning that destroyed all the projectiles around him. Tai let out a scream of pain as he felt a scorching sensation all across his arm.

Once it was done, Tai felt all the strength in his body fade, and he fell to his knees, panting. He glanced at his ravaged arm, watching as his Aura healed the burn wound. "Hah...well, at least it worked," he muttered.

A computerized voice rang in his ears. _Simulation complete. Systems indicate an 94.7 percent efficiency._ Tai gave a sigh of relief as the Dust cannons retracted back into the walls, and the door behind him opened. Raven was waiting for him outside.

"You did well," the dark Huntress smiled as he walked over to his locker. "I see you're taking steps to improve your composure. Being able to fight in the darkness is an important skill."

Tai grinned, opening his water bottle and taking a swift chug. He glanced around the gym, taking note at the various other men and women who were training their bodies in similar battle scenarios. Unsurprisingly, many of them were clad in Huntsman gear. "C'mon Rae, you're not my teacher," he said jokingly.

"That being said," Raven continued unflinchingly, "You really shouldn't have exerted yourself like that, not when we have work to do later. Especially when using such a dangerous technique." She glanced at her boyfriend's arm with concern in her eyes. "Misuse of Blackstorm Dust has caused the death of many careless Huntsmen."

"Don't worry about that," Tai reassured her cheerfully. Even so, he instinctively massaged his still-aching arm. "Careful is my second middle name!"

Raven didn't seem convinced, but she didn't press any further. Instead, she changed the subject. "Your village was certainly beautiful," she muttered. "The atmosphere was calm, there was always a sweet aroma in the air, and it was all so...peaceful."

Tai smiled. "You sound surprised. It's almost like you're new to the concept or something."

"The town where I grew up was...different," she admitted. "Valhalla was a dangerous place, even for the Mantle Wastelands. But it was still my home. Recently...I've started to wonder if I ever truly left it."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"Tai," Raven said softly. "I was thinking...will you…"

Tai tensed up. _Wait, where's she going with this?_

"...come with me to Valhalla sometime?" she finished. "I want to revisit the place, and I honestly think that if I do...I'll be able to find the answers I've been seeking for so long. And I'd like for you to be there, too. I think you deserve to know the truth - about where Brother and I came from."

"Um..." Tai blinked, slowly taking in everything his girlfriend was saying. He was spared from his confusion by the vibration of the Scroll in his pocket. Relieved, he took it out and glanced at the screen.

 _He's here. We'll need you at the designated point, ASAP. Please hurry! -S_

"Nice." Tai grinned, and quickly texted a reply, before looking back at Raven. "Summer and Qrow are at the mission point. We better get over there quick, or we'll miss all of the fun!" He hoisted his bag over his shoulder as smiled awkwardly at her. "And uh...thanks for the offer. Once the mission's done, I'll give you my answer, alright?"

"Very well." Raven smiled back at him. "It's a deal, then."

* * *

 **Hooray, it's back! Hopefully the wait wasn't too long. I don't know when Chapter 1 will come out, but just getting this prologue done is already a major step for me. Expect more by the end of the month!**

 **\- I initially had a hard time deciding what Samson's weapon was going to be, but in celebration of Ruby being announced for BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, I decided to give him a greatsword similar to the one Ragna The Bloodedge uses. If you haven't played the BlazBlue series, I highly recommend them!**

 **-Tai's new technique was indeed inspired by Deku's "One For All", from My Hero Academia - another really good series. I don't watch much anime anymore, but I'd still give this one a try.**

 **-I'm excited for Volume 5 of RWBY. That's...about all I have to say about that, really.**

 **Hope you all enjoy!**


	50. A Day's Work

**Chapter 1: A Day's Work**

 _Got it. We'll be there soon!_ Tai's message popped up on the surface of her Scroll. _Make sure to leave some Grimm for us, alright?_

Smiling, Summer Rose closed the device and put it back in her pocket, before peering out from behind the rock wall. Below her, a large complex, which had once been a thriving Dust factory, stood in the middle of a barren, waste-filled land. The gray concrete walls were obscured by layers of dying vines, covering the building like some infectious disease.

 _This place couldn't have looked have looked more sinister if it tried,_ Summer thought anxiously. She turned to her partner, who was surveying the area with a cautious scowl on his stubbled face. "They'll be here soon," she informed him.

"Define 'soon'," Qrow Branwen replied. His frown deepened as he glanced at the crowd of Grimm wandering through the wasteland, as if guarding the complex behind them. "Because there sure are a lot of these ugly bastards down there. And I'm willing to bet Merlot's already prepared a warm welcome for us inside."

"Yeah," Summer replied, recalling the details of their mission in her head. The inhabitants of the nearby town had reported an increase in Grimm sightings, which had been traced back to the old Dust complex that stood in what was now West Vale Forest. A scouting team had confirmed that the ancient facility was being occupied by Dr. Merlot, founder of the ill-fated Merlot Industries, who had long been presumed dead.

Summer and her team had had the misfortune of running into the old doctor several times during their second year at Beacon, and his monstrous creations had proven to be quite a nuisance. After his defeat, Merlot had declared that he was no longer cooperating with Salem, and had seemingly vanished off the radar. Now he had resurfaced, and it seemed his escapades were far from over.

As the Huntsmen most experienced with Merlot's schemes, Team STRQ had been chosen to mount the assault on his new base. Summer and Qrow had volunteered to survey the area ahead of time, and things were not looking good.

"The old man's really overdone it with his security," Qrow muttered as his gaze wandered around the scenery. "He's even got turrets lined up along the perimeter. It'll be hard to sneak in using my bird form...so I guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way." He turned to his partner. "As we planned, alright?"

"Right!" Summer nodded and turned away, walking in the opposite direction. Silently, she turned her head to glance nervously at Qrow, who was now occupied with sharpening Reaper's Gambit. She knew why he'd requested that the two of them split up during the ambush, but it didn't change the fact that she wanted to fight by his side. Taking position, she knelt down and readied her bow, aiming a round of arrows at the Grimm below.

"On three…" Qrow's voice came to her over her Scroll. "Two...one...go!"

 _Let's do this!_ Heart racing, Summer leapt up and released her bow, sending a flurry of explosive projectiles down at the dark creatures, sending their mangled limbs flying into the air as they faded. As she neared the ground, Summer pulled off her signature arrow-jump, before quickly launching a flurry of arrows, dispatching several more of them.

Suddenly, she heard a distinct mechanical whir from somewhere nearby. She ran to the side as a large sentry turret began to fire rounds of bullets in her direction. Moving quickly, Summer allowed the turret to track her movement as it continued to fire, causing it to mow down the nearby Grimm. After about a minute, the gunfire stopped as it ran out of ammo. Switching to blade forme, Summer leapt and sliced the turret in half.

She turned around to see Qrow some distance away, fighting off a horde of Grimm with his scythe. As much as Summer wanted to go aid him, she trusted that her partner could handle them on his own. Before she could second-guess herself, she blew open the nearby door with an explosive arrow, and made her way into the main building.

Unsurprisingly, the inside of the complex was little better. She instantly found herself in a wide-open laboratory filled with large pods of strange green fluid. About twenty Beowolves and Ursas lay as if in wait for her, and at the sight of Summer they began to crawl toward her, growling menacingly. "Uh-oh," Summer muttered. In a smaller space like this, she doubted she could take all of these beasts at once.

A loud chuckle pervaded through the room. "Ah, well this is a surprise!" On the screens above her, the visage of a middle-aged man with graying hair, and a circular red device covering his right eye. "I didn't expect we'd reunite in a place like this, Summer Rose."

"Merlot," Summer grumbled, slowly backing away from the approaching Grimm as she readied her bow. "I thought you said you were done with Salem and her plans."

"And I was telling the truth," Dr. Merlot replied jovially. "Well, mostly. In any case, I serve no master but my desire for greater discoveries! This old Dust complex has provided extraordinary resources for my research, as you'll soon realize. Now then, come find me if you so desire - and rejoice, as you bear witness to the birth of a higher species!"

As the screen went blank, the Grimm began to twitch violently. A couple of them howled in agony, as their bodies spontaneously burst into puddles of black goo. Summer watched in astonishment as the beasts in front of her all began to die one by one, until only two of them were left. Two Beowolves, both large enough to be Alphas, screeched as glowing, lime-coloured spikes suddenly jutted out all across their bodies, and their eyes turned from molten red to the same shade of green.

 _Wh-what's this?_ Gulping, Summer fired an explosive arrow at the nearer of the two Beowolves, but when the blast cleared, the beast appeared unharmed. Howling, it brought its paws down onto the floor, causing the entire building to shake. Sinister green crystals flew from its arms, and Summer was barely able to avoid them.

The other beast was running at her now, with speeds far exceeding that of a normal Beowolf. Switching to blade forme, Summer leapt back and parried its strikes, but though she managed to land several hits on its body, her blades simply bounced off as if they were hitting diamonds. Changing strategy, she returned Phoenix Heart to a bow and fired an ice arrow at the creature's face. The altered Beowolf's head was encased in a block of ice, and it began to frantically hit itself in an attempt to break free.

Before it could do so, Summer drew another arrow and fired it into the monster's now-frozen head, shattering it into pieces. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she noticed the green spikes on its body were glowing more violently. And behind her, the other Beowolf was charging at her with its claws bared.

As Summer rolled out of the beast's path, she felt a loud explosion send her crashing into the nearby wall. "Ugh!" She glanced up, and saw that the Beowolf had spontaneously detonated, and had taken off half of the other beast's body with it. She watched as the two bodies dissolved into nothingness.

Shaken, she took out her Scroll and called Qrow. "Something wrong, Summer?" he responded. "You're in the complex now, right?"

"Yeah, and Merlot's definitely here. I also, um...ran into some strange Grimm. They've been...enhanced somehow, and it looks like they explode when they die. I don't know what the doctor's doing to them, but watch out for the ones with green spikes coming out of them, ok?"

"Dammit," her partner swore in reply. "Leave it to Merlot to make this a pain in the ass. Alright, thanks for the advice. I'm on the other side of this place now, lots of annoying droids everywhere. We'll meet up at th-"

Suddenly, Summer's ears perked up as she heard an unmistakable sound. _A sniper!_ Desperately, she flung herself to the side, as the bullet struck her Scroll and sent the device sprawling across the floor, broken into pieces. She turned in the direction of the shot, and saw the perpetrator, a girl of short stature, perched in the rafters above.

"...I missed," she muttered blandly, glaring at Summer as she reloaded her rifle. She had a bandage wrapped over her left eye, and a green beret over her black bangs. "You...you're…" Summer blinked at her in confusion. The girl looked familiar somehow, but she couldn't quite figure out where she'd seen her before…

"Heh! Fancy meetin' you here!" From behind her, a young man came crashing down from the ceiling. Dust and debris fell around him as he landed, sparks flying from the metal gauntlets on his arms. He stood up and grinned cruelly at Summer, cracking his knuckles as his light-blonde hair stood up with electricity." Long time no see, silver-eyed girl! Guess who's back an' better than ever!"

"...You're from Team PLSM," Summer realized, her eyes darting between the two new arrivals. "Moss Creedo...and Storm Columbus. What...just what are the two of you doing? Working with a wanted criminal like Merlot?"

"Classified," Moss said simply.

"Who said we were workin' with Merlot?" Storm replied gleefully. "We heard the old doctor was stashin' a whole treasure trove of dangerous weapons and Dust, and we figured we'd just help ourselves! I bet it'll make the Grandmaster real happy with us, too!" He raised his arm to fire another bolt of lightning. "But, y'know...Psycha's never forgiven you for beatin' her in the tournament...so consider this an act of revenge! _Eheheheheh_!"

Summer had heard enough from the two of them. She turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, down the hallway. Grabbing an arrow infused with earth Dust from her pouch, she fired at the floor in front of her, erecting a tall stone barrier. "Goddammit!" She heard Storm's annoyed yell from behind as he pounded the wall with bolt strikes, to no avail.

As she turned the corner, she saw someone approaching out of the corner of her eye. Panicking, she readied Phoenix Heart, but quickly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Qrow. "Hey! You're alright!" he called out to her as he, too, lowered his weapon at the sight of her. "What happened? You suddenly got cut off, and it scared the shit out of me!"

"Storm and Moss," She replied, panting as she paused to take a breath. "They're here, and it looks like they're working for Salem now! We have to hurry!"

Qrow looked at her like she was crazy. "W-w-wait, _what?_ You mean those idiots from Team PLSM? Why would they be...ah, whatever. If they're really the worst we've got to face, then this should be a piece of-"

Suddenly, an earth-shattering explosion resonated from somewhere behind them, and Summer could hear the sound of the barrier crumbling. "Hehehe - stupid walls can't hold me!" came Storm's yell. "Time to taste the thunder, losers!"

There was a sharp crackling of electricity, and as Summer and Qrow looked back, they saw a rush of electric energy barreling toward them, frying the walls as it got closer. "Run!" Qrow yelled, and the two of them began charging toward the end of the hallway as fast as they could, trying to outrun the blast. Summer could feel the heat of the energy singing her back, and she didn't dare look behind her.

They reached the door, and The two Huntsmen entered the room and jumped to the side with all their might, barely avoiding the blast as it burst through the doorframe and tore down the wall around it. The blast impacted the large engine in the middle of the room, causing steam to rise from the machine.

"Th-that was close," Summer muttered. "...Ack!" Panicking, she realized that her cloak had been set ablaze, and frantically removed the article before throwing it to the side. She and Qrow drew their weapons and stood facing the hall they had just emerged from, waiting for Storm's attack.

"Damn...I sure don't remember him being that strong," Qrow grumbled. His eyes widened. "Shit, look out!" He leapt in front of his partner, blocking a bullet with the edge of his greatsword. Moss stood silently atop the wrecked engine with her smoking gun, a hand held over her bandaged eye.

The sniper scowled at the Huntsmen. "Two shots missed," she muttered, looking downward. "Serious measures will have to be taken now." Grimacing, Moss pulled off her bandage, blinking furiously as she turned her gaze back to her targets. With a start, Summer saw that her left eye was a bizarre shade of green, composed of tiny individual units. Light seemed to reflect off of their surface, giving it an eerie glow.

 _Compound eyes,_ Summer realized. _She's a Faunus!_

Moss raised her gun, prompting Summer and Qrow to run. Several shots rang out, and Summer felt a sharp jolt of pain in her back, and she collided painfully with the wall. Moss fired off two more bullets in quick succession, hitting Qrow in the chest with the first, and tripping Summer as she tried to get up with the second shot. She continued to fire, not leaving her foes a second of rest.

Summer fired back with several arrows, but Moss easily shot them out of the air. The last of them was an explosive projectile, and the detonation propelled her small body off the engine. She fired a shot at the floor below, breaking her fall with the recoil as she landed. Qrow immediately engaged her in combat, and she changed her rifle into a blade to keep up with him.

As her partner kept Moss distracted, Summer turned her attention to Storm, who finally emerged with lightning crackling all around his body. She fired at him, but all her arrows were vaporized before they could reach him. _Close-range it is,_ she decided, and charged at Storm with her blades, dodging several blasts of lightning as she approached. Parrying several of the larger Huntsman's punches, she winced as the sparks around him stung her skin.

A stray bolt from Storm's gauntlet caused the engine behind them to rupture, spilling out gallons of water onto the floor. Cackling, the rogue Huntsman fired a series of lightning strikes that electrified the entire area around them. On the other side of the room, Moss leapt back onto the engine to avoid the now-electrified floor, while Qrow changed into his bird form to avoid her bullets.

Feeling herself going numb from the electricity right under her feet, Summer quickly fired an earth Dust arrow at the floor, creating a safe platform for her to stand on as she continued their battle.

Eventually, Storm reeled back, and his gauntlets began to glow with a greater intensity. "Qrow!" Summer called out as she leapt backwards, readying her bow midair. As Storm fired a powerful blast of energy from his gauntlets, Qrow landed in front of her, raising his sword to absorb the strike. Summer, landing behind him, fired off some arrows in Moss' direction, forcing her to retreat.

"Hmmph!" Qrow sidestepped Storm's punch, and transformed Reaper's Gambit into its scythe forme before swinging it with all his might. Still crackling with the absorbed electricity, the blade slammed into Storm, launching him upward into the air.

Moss, meanwhile, landed on a small ledge near the ceiling. As she looked up, her eyes widened as she saw her partner flying toward her. "Ah-"

She was cut off as the two of them collided and were sent flying through the ceiling with a loud crash, screaming indignantly. A long silence followed, broken only by the sounds of leaking water, cascading from the ruined engine. Summer sighed, glancing anxiously at the Storm-shaped hole that had been formed in the ceiling. "Do you think they'll be alright?"

"Who cares?" Qrow grumbled. "Forget those idiots - let's just hurry up and find Merlot."

The water was already up to Summer and Qrow's knees. Hurriedly, they made their way out of the engine room and up the staircase leading to the top floor of the complex. Cutting down several more Grimm and androids on their way up, they soon found themselves outside a large steel door, with lights outside giving off an ominous red glow.

"This might just be the most obvious 'entrance to evil lair' that I've ever seen in my life," Summer admitted as she glanced at it. "Well, I guess I can't say the the old doctor has no taste in aesthetics."

"Aesthetics is one word for it," Qrow agreed. "So is 'garish'." He raised his weapon, firing several cannon shots into the bolts holding the frame together. Satisfied, he followed up with a powerful kick, knocking the door down. He and Summer entered the room with their weapons drawn, glancing around for any threats that might approach, but everything seemed to be quiet.

The silence was broken by the sound of applause, and a single light turned on to illuminate the center of the room. Dr. Merlot stood there in his white lab coat, smiling as he walked toward them while clapping slowly. Several large contraptions and pods of green fluid were visible all around him. "Congratulations," he said cheerfully. "I knew you would make it all the way here."

Glaring at Merlot, Summer noticed that the doctor had a robotic arm with red highlights, replacing the one that Raven had cut off during their last confrontation. "What's your secret weapon this time?" she asked cautiously, still waiting for him to inevitable drop some over-the-top trap on them. "A Griffon-Goliath hybrid? A robot Deathstalker?"

"Quite an imagination you have!" Merlot grinned. "That's good to see. Sadly, no - you were a bit too quick this time, I'm afraid. Just a few more days and my latest masterpiece would have been completed...but sometimes, inconveniences happen. Between those two foolish thieves trying to barge in, and now you two, it seems I must alter my plans once more."

"Well, that makes things a hell of a lot easier," Qrow replied, aiming his sword at the doctor. "Ready to surrender quietly, Merlot?"

"Now, now, I didn't say that," he said with a hearty laugh. "I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve, after all." With a flourish, Merlot drew a double-edged spear from his belt. "After all, I was once a student at Beacon, just like the two of you. Allow me to show you why I was one of their top alumni!" Without warning, Merlot leapt at the Huntsmen.

Taken aback, Summer raised her weapon to defend herself. Merlot moved with surprising agility for his age, and every move seemed perfectly aimed to strike at her vital points. With seemingly no effort, he put Summer and Qrow on the defense with lightning-fast attacks, not giving either of them a chance to retaliate.

"What the hell?" Qrow snarled, recoiling back as he struggled to fend off the doctor's strikes. "How are you this strong? I thought you were good at science, not fighting!"

"It seems you didn't do your research, boy," Merlot replied calmly, as he continued his assault on the Huntsmen without a hint of hesitation. "Combat was always my forte, since before I enrolled in the Academy. No matter how hard my peers tried, they could never hold a candle to my natural gifts. My skills were perfect, even without training. Everyone, my family included, believed I was destined to be one of the finest Huntsmen to ever live, perhaps even an S-rank, given time."

"But then...why the career change?" Summer responded through gritted teeth, starting to lose her balance. "Why are you enhancing the Grimm instead of hunting them? You wouldn't have had any problem as a Huntsman!"

"Precisely," replied the doctor, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Can you imagine a worse fate than being born talented? To be doomed to an existence without challenge, without barriers to overcome? There is no value in something that is without flaws - no room for innovation, examination or any form of critical thinking! In the world of science, perfection is nothing but a dead end. I chose the path of a scientist because it had limitless potential, and opportunities that few had the courage to explore! I never felt more alive than those sleepless nights when I was at my wit's end, trying to solve a seemingly impossible problem; when it seemed like one error would doom me to a lifetime of failures! The farther that victory escaped from my grasp, the sweeter the sensation when I finally achieved it. I would never have reaped such satisfaction - or such achievements - had I continued on the easier path!

"And that is why Grimm are such a fascinating species," he continued, a wide grin forming across his face. "They're fundamentally flawed, feral, and lack the natural intelligence of humans, but within them lies infinite possibilities! That is the challenge I have chosen to undertake - to elevate them to their fullest potential!"

With a sudden movement, a miniature cannon emerged from the bottom of Merlot's lance. He fired a single grenade, propelling himself backward with the recoil of the blast as Summer and Qrow were sent flying down onto the floor. "A-augh," Summer muttered, feeling the sudden pain all over her body as her Aura began to flicker.

"You did reasonably well, but not quite enough to hit the mark," Merlot said calmly, walking back over to the now-helpless Huntsmen. His elderly face was twisted into an unpleasant smirk. "I do think you'll have your uses, however...perhaps in a future experiment of mine?" He raised his lance with a menacing leer.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash as a figure fell through the ceiling above, a scarlet blade in hand. As they collided with the floor, a blast of energy resonated through the room, knocking Merlot over with a surprised yell. "Seems like you needed my help," they said, smiling as they extended a hand to Summer.

"...Raven!" Summer gasped, relief filling her as she took the dark Huntress' hand. "Hmph. It sure took you long enough," Qrow muttered angrily as he pulled himself off the floor, shooting an irritated glare at his twin sister.

"Well, better late than never, right?" came another voice. It was Tai, leaping down from the hole formed in the ceiling. He grinned sheepishly at his teammates, stretching out his arms. "Aww...looks like you guys already took care of everything, huh?"

"Maybe you should actually _show up_ earlier next time," Qrow retorted, wincing in pain as he limped over to Merlot's unmoving form. "Alright, now let's get this asshole out of here and into a jail cell."

Suddenly, Merlot raised his head. "Hah...not yet…" he chuckled, reaching into his coat pocket and retrieving a small red switch. "You still...have to pass the final test! Good luck, Huntsmen!" He flicked the switch, and alarms began blaring all around the room. "Ack!" Panicking, Tai swung his fist at the doctor's head, knocking him unconscious.

"Come on!" Summer shouted. "Let's get out of here - now!"

Qrow hoisted Merlot's body over his shoulder. The four of them ran for the exit, explosions ringing out all around them as the complex began to collapse in on itself. The various pods scattered around the building had all been opened, and hordes of Grimm were being released. Drawing their weapons, Team STRQ fought their way through the masses of creatures as they made their way to the front entrance.

They had barely left the building when it finally crumbled, and when Summer looked back, she saw the last fragments of debris fall to the ground around them. Thick pillars of smoke were rising into the sky, and it seemed unlikely that anything would be salvaged from the wreckage. It finally hit her that she was exhausted, and she fell to her knees, panting.

"Hell yeah," Tai grinned. "That was like the big escape scene in an action movie! Enemies coming from every direction, the heroes kicking ass as they make their way to safety, big explosion at the end...classic!"

"I'd call that a job well done," Qrow said with a nod. "And the smoke should lead an airship to us soon."

He was proven correct when, less than five minutes later, a small Carrier came flying from over the horizon, landing as the pilot caught sight of the four Huntsmen signaling to him from the ground. Summer introduced themselves as Team STRQ, explaining that they had come on a mission, and were allowed entry on the aircraft - along with their prisoner, who was unceremoniously stashed away in the back trunk, his hands tied.

Tai reclined in his seat, sighing contentedly. "So, who's up for lunch at A Simple Wok? Personally, I'm starving."

"Sounds good," Summer agreed. She felt her Scroll vibrate in her pocket, and she retrieved it. Seeing the image that had been sent to her, she smiled and showed it to her team. "Take a look!" she said. "Seems like Latte's finally picked the baby's name."

Everyone leaned over to glance at the picture of the smiling Huntsman, their friend Latte Adel, holding his newborn child in his arms. The message below the image read, _Hey guys! Check out little Coco - isn't she adorable? Hope you'll come visit when you get a break!_

"Phew...thank God it went well," Qrow muttered, wiping his brow.

"Coco Adel - it's got a nice ring to it," Tai added with a warm smile.

Summer gave a weak laugh. "I'm happy things seem to be working out for the two of them. Still...just my personal opinion, but I think people should wait a few years before having kids. I mean, I'd rather at least make sure I can make enough Lien to get by first."

Raven shrugged. "Back in my hometown, couples were encouraged to procreate as quickly and frequently as possible," she said bluntly. "The greater our numbers, the greater our collective chances of survival."

Everyone was awkwardly silent. Qrow glared at Tai for a full minute before the blonde Huntsman winced in mild embarrassment. Summer looked down at her feet, hiding her beet-red face. Finally, they all burst out into awkward laughter as the Carrier soared off toward the city. Relieved that their mission had been completed successfully, Summer allowed herself to relax for the day. During work, Team STRQ were her team - but off the battlefield, they were her friends, and right now she was just happy to spend time with them.

She couldn't have known it then, but that would be the last time they ever fought together as a team.

* * *

Time had lost meaning for Autumn.

The days came and went, but the passage of minutes, hours, and eventually weeks and months had become a foreign concept to the lost girl. Here in this bizarre new world, those words referred to things that simply didn't exist - at least, not in the way they once had. For all she knew, she could blink and years of her life would pass before her eyes.

At first, this strange phenomenon had been a mind-bending experience for Autumn. But that was then. Time was a curious anomaly indeed - even in a world without it, it could still change all things.

In truth, Autumn was now having the time of her life. Every day, she would awaken in her lavish silk bed, and a plate of delicious, hot food would be waiting on the table beside her. She had plenty of toys to keep her company, and she would often spend most of her days playing with her dolls or drawing pictures.

When she got bored of being stuck in her room, she would skip through the halls of the castle, laughing and stretching out her arms. The labyrinthian corridors seemed to be without end, and more often than not she would end up hopelessly lost. Some days, there would be people patrolling the area, and promptly escort the rowdy girl back to her chambers as she wailed and pouted.

There were other children there, too. Almost all of them were older than Autumn, and that had intimidated her at first, but she had eventually come to bond with some of them. They would spend some time talking about their favourite toys, what they had eaten for lunch, and where they had come from. Many of them had no recollection of their life outside the castle, and looked at Autumn in bewildered awe when she described Vale, Patch, and the rest of the 'outside world.'

In her new life, she felt like a princess from one of her favourite fairy tales - it was truly her dream come true.

There here were times, however, when she missed the days of training with her bow and arrow. Some days, she would cry herself to sleep as she thought of how much she missed Summer, the woman who had loved her like a mother for four precious years. She wondered where she was right now, and if she'd ever see her again.

Today was one of those days, as she found herself sitting up in bed sadly, holding her pillow in her arms as she buried her head in the soft cotton. _It's not the same without her smell,_ Autumn thought glumly, fighting back tears. Back in the old days, Summer would have noticed the girl crying, and given a comforting hug as she read her a fairy tale.

But Summer was no longer there.

The door opened, and a dark-skinned youth peered in with a light scowl at the sight of her. "Hmph," he muttered. "You there, girl. Her Grace would like a word with you." Autumn did not respond, or move from her spot. The tears were now falling freely from her cheeks, soaking her blankets.

"Are you deaf?" The young man growled. "Ugh...fine, I suppose I'll just have to take you there myself." Reluctantly, he closed the Scroll he was holding and put it in his pocket, before walking over to Autumn and hoisting the girl over his shoulder. The upside of her current melancholy was that she did not protest as he escorted her out of the room.

He carried Autumn to the castle's main chamber, located at the top of the highest tower. "Your Grace, I've brought the girl," he announced, and the grand doors slowly creaked open before them. The enormous room was illuminated by the violet, otherworldly sky that lay beyond the window. A grand table lay ahead, and sitting at the front of it was the dark queen herself.

If there was ever a being that fit the description of a demon, Salem would be it. With her pale, white visage, molten red eyes as terrifying as any Grimm, and deathly black veins covering her skin like parasites, the ruler of this bizarre realm commanded both respect and terror in equal measure.

At the dark queen's side stood a young Faunus, with long brown hair and sharp claw gauntlets strapped around her arms. Autumn recognized her as Harriet Maroon, whom she had seen several times before, but had never had a chance to speak to. She and her master appeared to be discussing something.

"The two members of PLSM returned empty-handed today," Harriet said disdainfully. "This is the last failure from those fools that I'm willing to overlook. While it pains me to harm the insect Faunus, next time I will have them punished accordingly."

"That is indeed disappointing," Salem agreed. "Ah, but it seems we have guests. Shall we greet them?" She looked up as the two of them entered, and a benevolent smile formed on her face as she saw Autumn.

"Mmm-hmmm...very good," she said softly, her voice a low murmur. "Thank you very much, Arthur. You may go now; I will call for you at another time." She raised her hand with a silent authority, and the youth named Arthur lowered Autumn onto the floor before leaving without a word. He began flipping through his Scroll again as the doors closed behind him.

"Umm…" Autumn looked up at Salem, her eyes red from all the crying. "I-I'm sorry, ma'am." She referred to the dark queen with the 'respectful pronoun' that Summer had taught her to use for older women. "You're, um, not mad at me, are you?"

Salem smiled as she stood up from her seat, walking across the floor with nary a sound. Harriet remained where she stood, not even glancing at Autumn. "Do not fear, child - you have behaved yourself wonderfully. I would not dream of being displeased with you. Quite the opposite in fact." She paused. "How the time flies...already a year has passed since you first came to join me in my humble abode."

"A year?" Autumn tilted her head in confusion. "It feels a lot shorter than that."

"Mmm, that is an understandable reaction - time certainly feels far different here than in the land you came from. But regardless of circumstances, I believe the moment is approaching...for your training to begin." Suddenly, she moved her gaze upward. "...Ah, but it seems I have yet another visitor today."

The door creaked open, and another person entered. A young girl, about thirteen to fourteen years of age, with teal-coloured eyes and short green hair tied up in a ponytail. Eyes lighting up in recognition, Autumn leapt gleefully into her arms.

"Corey!" She yelled happily, feeling the girl ruffle her hair affectionately. Suddenly she frowned, and narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared into her face. "Ummm, wait. Are you really Corrine? Or are you Caroline?"

"Nah," Corrine chuckled, gently putting Autumn down. "You got it right the first time." From behind, another girl, who looked almost identical to her right down to the same dark vest and skirt, entered with a large greatsword floating in the air beside her. "Hiya, Autumn," she said with a smile. "You doing ok?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Autumn nodded enthusiastically. "I'm glad to see you again, Carey."

From the table, Harriet Maroon finally seemed to show interest, turning to the new arrivals with a wary interest. "The Cion twins - Caroline and Corrine," she said quietly. "I take it your mission was completed successfully?"

"You bet," said Corrine with a smug grin, patting the blade's edge. "That washed-up Huntsman didn't stand a chance against my sis and I working together. Not only that, but he even fell for the oldest trick in the book - the poor little girl in distress. It was almost too easy!"

"Stupid old man," Caroline giggled.

"Now, now," Salem said with a smile. "You can't fault a Huntsman for doing as his duty compels him. But I extend my congratulations to the both of you - the loss of one of his Knights will be quite a severe blow to dear Ozpin. And as for the divine blade...the Nine Lives...I will allow you two to use it as you see fit. Leave it as a keepsake, or melt it down for a new weapon if you so wish."

"Know that this success means you will both be given more difficult tasks from now on," Harriet added. "You've earned your rest for now, but I will be calling on you again very soon, I can assure you of that."

"Booo, more work," Caroline sighed. She was playing with Nine Lives, twirling her fingers and making the floating blade rotate in response to her movements. "C'mon, sis...let's go play musical chairs outside with the boys."

"Good idea," Corrine agreed. She gave Autumn a loving pat on the head. "See you around, Autumn! Come play with us later, okay?" With that, the two girls exited the room, waving to their friend.

Waving back, Autumn turned to Salem, an excited gleam in her eyes. "You mentioned Huntsmen...and someone named Ozpin," she said with awe. "Mommy used to tell me all about them! They're the good guys who fight to save the day! Do you really know them?"

Harriet shifted uncomfortably. Salem merely chuckled in amusement. "There is much you do not know, child. About the Huntsmen, and the rest of the world. But that is why you are here - so that I may train you, teach you the way things truly are. And Harriet, I am sure, will be glad to assist." She turned to her follower. "How are preparations coming along?"

"Well enough," Harriet replied. "I promise I will not fail you, Grandmaster."

Her master's eyes darkened for a moment. "...And I would hope not," she murmured. "With the loss of the relic, any further setbacks could potentially prove fatal. I have entrusted this next phase to you, Harriet, because you are the most devoted and capable among my disciples. I trust that you will not cause me to change that opinion."

"...I promise I will give you no reason to worry," Harriet smiled. "I have my own reasons for wanting this to succeed, after all...and I've been awaiting this moment for a long time." She bowed respectfully to her master, and quietly walked out of the room.

It was only Autumn and the queen who remained. "You keep talking about my 'training'," Autumn said nervously. "Mommy always liked to train me in archery...is this something like that?"

"...Perhaps," Salem replied, gently grasping the girl's chin with her pale, veined hand. While she might have once recoiled in fear, now her touch was as comforting as a parent to Autumn. "You have a grand destiny ahead of you, girl. I will be here with you, guiding you every step of the day. And I promise that one day, you will accomplish incredible things…."


	51. The Emerald Tower

**Chapter 2: The Emerald Tower**

The sun was already up when he arrived.

Qrow took a deep breath as the boat pulled into the dock, wobbling slightly as if to give him one final scare as it finally came to a stop. Groaning as his stomach turned inside out, he pulled himself out the vehicle. He was already questioning how he'd even survived the trip.

He looked around, taking in his surroundings. _Alberia Island._ A small chunk of land on the outskirts of Vale, and a popular tourist attraction for good reason. Above him was a pure blue sky, stretching as far as he could see. Light shone down upon the land as if it were a blessing from the gods themselves. Tall buildings of sleek steel and comfortable shacks of wood coexisted on the ground in front of him, like a perfect merging of two civilizations normally separated by time.

The town square was littered with eager shoppers, chatting with such intensity that their happiness was almost infectious. Children were gathered at the fountain in the middle, laughing as they threw coins into the water or fed bread to the pigeons. Some people even stood on rooftops, admiring the scenic mountain vistas that lay in the distance, with a beautiful eternal rainbow perched above to complete the image.

The joy in the air was practically tangible, and one would only have to breathe it to appreciate the wonder of being alive.

"What a fucking pain in my ass," Qrow grumbled.

To think what should have been a perfectly normal day had to be ruined by a single call - asking him to head out ASAP - at _midnight,_ no less - and now he had to deal with...well, he still wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be dealing with. Being kept in the dark was bad enough, but the journey itself hadn't been any better.

The boat had been one of those "bottom-shelf liquor at the local bar" kinds of junk. The kind that could capsize at any moment, or were operated by raving drunks - at least, that was what their sense of direction seemed to imply. The driver was apparently 'someone Ozpin trusted', but he was starting to think he'd be more willing to trust a ragged bandit with an eyepatch and a knife to his throat.

And to add insult to injury, a thunderstorm had broken out while they were at sea. As the boat had rocked back and forth violently, each lightning strike causing more and more turbulence, Qrow had started to wonder if this was what hell felt like. For his stomach, it certainly was.

But now he'd made it in one piece - somehow. Sighing, Qrow took out the map and glanced the marked location. _Okay, let's get this over with._ He quickly received directions from a local merchant, who flashed him an odd glance as he told him where he was going. Quickly searching for an alleyway where he wouldn't be seen, he transformed into his bird form and flew off in the direction of his destination.

Despite himself, he played back the memory of when he'd left Patch Island.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Summer had asked, staring at him with anxiety in every inch of her silver eyes. "I can pack you some snacks if you get hungry…"

"Nah, I'm good," he'd grumbled. "Honestly, I don't know what the hell was going through Oz' mind. It's been, what, six months without any news, and suddenly he calls in the middle of the night? No details, just 'Please be at Alberia Island by noon today. You might not be home for a while.' Why does he have to be so damn vague?"

Summer had just laughed awkwardly. "Haha...come on, have you even met Headmaster Ozpin before?"

"...Good point."

"Well...I guess it's just 'Ozpin' now. I still need to get used to that." She'd smiled at him. "So...I don't know how long you'll be away for, but he wouldn't call us if it wasn't something urgent. And with Rae and Tai out of the Kingdom, I guess I'll have to get by on my own, huh?"

"Eh, you'll do fine - don't worry about it." He'd flashed her what he'd hoped was a reassuring grin.

Without warning, she'd wrapped her arms around him. "I guess I'll see you later.." she murmured softly. "You sure you'll be alright, though?"

"You already said that," Qrow had grumbled, but accepted her hug, trying to stop his heart from racing. After that, they had bid farewell, and he'd headed down to the docks to where the boat had been provided.

Even though it was so recent, the memory made him smile (on the inside, anyway. He still wasn't sure if crows _could_ smile). Despite everything, the last few months had been some of the happiest of his life - being with Summer, being able to see his sister truly happy for the first time in what felt like eons, and travelling all around the Kingdom as true Huntsmen...it was a good life.

And it was just as good for Summer, too. All that 'silver-eyed warrior' and 'Order of the Emerald Tower' crap that the old headmaster had dumped on her...he didn't understand much of it himself, but he knew it was nothing that Summer needed to worry herself with - not now, anyway. She didn't need more burdens on her life. Right now, all she needed was to smile, and if he was able to give her that, Qrow was happy as well.

"...Hmmm?" He'd been reminiscing for so long he hadn't realized he was getting close to his destination. A peculiar sight lay in front of him - though it looked like nothing but a collection of large, misshapen rocks at first, as he got closer he could recognize the shape they had once formed - a tower of some sort, and a tall one at that. However, time had worn the structure down to its bare parts, and their surfaces were covered with browning moss.

He turned back into a human as he descended, grunting in slight pain as his feet hit the ground. _No wonder that merchant thought it was weird,_ he thought as he glanced at the ruins ahead of him. _This place gives off some bad vibes._

As he raised his head, he caught eye of a figure in a black hood who stood in front of him. Qrow felt a tinge of fear - he was quite sure they hadn't been there a moment ago. Hesitantly, he approached them, one hand already on his weapon.

"I'm glad you came on time, Qrow," they murmured in a familiar voice. As they pulled their hood back, the visage of a bespectacled, middle-aged man with graying hair smiled at him. "I had faith that you would heed my call," said Professor Ozpin.

"Glad you had confidence in me," Qrow replied, feeling slightly relieved (but also annoyed) at the sight of his former headmaster. "But to be honest, I still don't know what this 'call' was about. Now that I'm here, would it be too much for you to fill me in?"

Ozpin merely smiled, twirling his cane in his hand. "I suppose I could...but perhaps instead of merely telling you, I could _show_ you?" He raised the weapon, and Qrow could see a small ripple of green energy materialize in front of them, near the entrance to the ruins.

The professor smiled at Qrow's look of confusion. "Now then - follow me, if you would." He turned and began walking forward. He had barely taken a step when his body suddenly vanished, disappearing into the green energy. Qrow blinked, his mouth dropping in shock. "H-huh?" he muttered. He took a step forward...and then he had to blink again.

He could hardly believe the sight before him. The ruins were gone. In their place stood a tall structure of pure emerald, stretching upward into the sky. The light that shone off of their surface reflected into Qrow's eyes, and he growled as he shielded himself with his arm. "The hell…?"

It was only as he looked around that he realized that it had become sunset, while just a minute ago it had been early morning. And while the scenery outside had been a ruined wasteland, here there was nothing but green meadows stretching out in all directions. In the distance, he saw what appeared to be giant red comets, frozen in the sky like clouds.

"What...is this place?" he muttered, awestruck.

"This," Ozpin replied, as he reached the tower's front door. "Is the Emerald Tower, home of the Order of the Emerald Knights. Hundreds of years ago, Salem's forces attacked it in an attempt to raze it to the ground. To protect the tower, we - that is to say, my predecessors - hid it away in a pocket dimension, and left a fake in its place - whose ruins you just saw. In this world, not a moment has passed in all the years since."

He pointed to what Qrow had believed to be comets. "Had we been a few moments late, those meteors would have annihilated our main base, and all hope would have been lost." On that uplifting note, Ozpin pushed the doors open, making an ominous creaking noise as they gave way.

"Well that's...dark." Swallowing his fear, Qrow turned and followed his former headmaster into the tower. A sprawling hallway lay in front of them, with beautiful glass walls and an ornate green carpet laid out at their feet. Strange white crystals floated in the air, illuminating the room with a light that resembled Dust energy. _It's beautiful,_ he thought. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before.

A grand staircase stood at the centre of the room, and the two of them made their way up, step by step. Qrow looked up, uneasily, and saw the stairs going up floor after floor after floor, in a perfect, unblemished pattern. "Does this ever end?" he asked out loud. Almost five minutes had passed, and he could feel the pain rising in his legs.

"Patience, Qrow," said Ozpin serenely. "That has always been one of my most important lessons. In the meantime, perhaps the walls might suffice to entertain you?" He gestured to the side, and Qrow followed his gaze.

"Whoa…" He hadn't paid much attention to them before, but the tower's walls were decorated with murals of all kinds. They seemed to depict grand battles, lush and strange landscapes the likes of which he'd never seen, and bizarre creatures that were neither human nor Faunus. As they continued to ascend, Qrow noticed that the art style of the drawings changed as well. "These are, what? Depictions of your little order fighting Salem across the years?"

The professor smiled. "You might say that. They are something of an intricate historical record, preserving the millenias of history that our enemy seeks to snuff out. To fully appreciate the history of life, it is important to document both the good times and the bad." A slight frown formed on his face as he pushed up his glasses. "...Though even I do not know the full extent of such history. This great structure predates even myself...and the legacy of those who came before me."

After what felt like a century, they reached the top floor. Panting, Qrow followed Ozpin down the hall, passing by an enormous library, before finally reaching a single emerald-plated door. As they entered the room, Qrow felt a powerful presence - several of them, in fact - overwhelm him all at once. He stumbled, but managed to retain his balance.

He immediately felt the pressure of several pairs of eyes upon him. A grand table was laid out in the middle of the room, where several unfamiliar figures sat, staring at the two new arrivals in anticipation. Feeling slightly nervous, Qrow quickly glanced over them.

A stout man with a short beard and graying blonde hair sat next to the front seat, a book in his hands. A younger man hiding his face beneath a black hat sat in the middle, his feet propped lazily on the table's surface. Finally, at the back of the table was a muscular, dark-skinned woman who was sitting with her arms and legs positioned in a meditative stance. Qrow took notice of the large, pointy ears atop her long, silver hair - she was a wolf Faunus. _So,_ he thought. _Are these guys all part of Ozpin's 'order'?_

"I'm glad to see all of you are present," Ozpin began.

"Most of us," the woman interrupted. "However, it appears that Sherwood has taken a leave of absence. Yet again."

"Don't forget the dead guy," the younger man chuckled, raising his hat to peer at Qrow. He had piercing golden eyes. "So what, are you Sam's replacement?" _Who?_ Qrow wondered, though the prospect of a dead person didn't exactly bring him happy thoughts.

The older man rubbed his hands together, glancing downward. "Other than the Perceiver and the Crimson Behemoth, all those who were asked to meet today are present," he muttered softly.

"Thank you, Leo," Ozpin replied, and calmly sat down in the large seat at the front. Qrow felt as though the old headmaster looked a bit too small for such a regal-looking affair. The chair had clearly been built for someone else.

"Thank you all for meeting here today," the professor began. He gestured to Qrow, who hastily moved to stand beside him. "First and foremost, I'd like to introduce you to - I devoutly hope -the newest member of our order, Qrow Branwen of Vale. I believe his talents will be vital for the difficult times ahead."

The others began to whisper among themselves. Shifting uncomfortably where he stood, Qrow waited silently as Ozpin raised his hand to calm them down. "And while it pains me to hear of Samson's death, under the current circumstances there is little time to mourn. It is my hope that Qrow will fulfill his role as our 'eyes' from here on out."

"...He's awfully young, Ozpin," the man named Leo replied, glancing at Qrow with a look of uncertainty. "Looking at him, I doubt he's a year past graduation. Are you sure it's wise to throw such a heavy burden on him?"

"Qrow...Branwen? Did I hear that right?" Narrowing her eyes, the dark-skinned woman spoke. She had a strange accent that Qrow couldn't quite place.

"Uhh, what?" Qrow asked. "You know me or something?" A thought crossed his mind. _Does she know something about the tribe? Or Uncle Luka, maybe?_

The woman provided no answers, simply closing her eyes and returning to her meditation.

"C'mon Phoebe. You really gonna leave him hanging like that?" The younger man turned to him, removing his hat. Qrow noticed he was even younger than he'd initially thought - the man was probably only several years older than him. "Sorry that the boss called you here on short notice. The name's Crowley Cloake - and not to blow my horn, but I'd like to think I'm the best archer in all of Remnant. Welcome to the team, partner!"

"...Thanks," Qrow muttered. _So he uses a bow and arrow too, huh?_ He glanced over Crowley Cloake, noting his lean yet well-toned structure. He didn't look overly threatening, but Qrow had a feeling this one wasn't a person you wanted to mess with. Vaguely, he thought that it would be nice if Summer could practice archery with him.

But right now, there were more pressing issues. "...So wait," he growled, glaring at Professor Ozpin. "When were you planning on telling me that? What's all this about me joining your order? I didn't exactly agree to anything like that, you know."

Crowley chuckled. "What, are you surprised? Have you even met Ozpin before?"

"Hah...I hope you'll forgive my secrecy," Ozpin smiled. "For the record, I didn't deceive you or anything - I simply didn't tell you the whole truth. But now you're here, and within the confines of this tower, I am free to divulge information without fear."

"Okay…" _Then why didn't you tell me anything while we were climbing up a thousand fucking stairs?!_

The professor gestured sadly to an empty chair -the one right next to Crowley's. "The truth is, approximately one month ago, Samson Heracle - one of my finest Huntsmen, known as the 'Crimson Behemoth' - went missing while searching for a possible lead on Salem's movements. Though we can't say for certain, we have little choice but to assume the worst. And so I sought you out to fill his old seat - for now, more than ever, I need all the allies I can find."

"...You keep talking about that," Qrow said gruffly, still not quite understanding. "'Now'. 'The current circumstances'. Stuff like that. Just what the hell is going on that's so urgent?"

Leo frowned. "Ozpin...did you really not tell him _anything_?" Still meditating, Phoebe inhaled deeply, seeming to enter an almost trance-like state. Crowley's gaze moved across the room, displaying a vague, mocking interest.

"...I'm telling him now." Ozpin's smile was suddenly gone. Gripping his cane with both hands, the professor glanced around the table, from person to person, before they came to rest upon Qrow. "To make a long story very short...I believe a war is coming. And it may be one we cannot afford to lose."

Qrow blinked. "...War?" he repeated. "But didn't we just stop a war from breaking out between Atlas and Vacuo? Or is that can of worms still open after all these months?"

"I wish it were as simple as that," Ozpin replied, shaking his head sadly. "No, this...this is far larger than that. This concerns Salem - the Dark Queen herself, and the root of all our grievances. Whether she has become tired of her pawns failing her, or she has seen some weakness in our system - it is my belief that she intends to strike us directly, for the first time in over a hundred years."

Qrow's eyes were drawn to the large, ornate window in front of him. Outside, he could still see the bright red meteors frozen forever in time, still glowing brightly, as if their desire to annihilate all still remained after all these years. "So…" he pointed in their direction. "Lemme guess, _that's_ what happens when Salem decides to 'strike us directly'?"

Ozpin said nothing, but nodded with a gravity that conveyed more than any words.

"Basically, it's a bad scene," Crowley muttered, scowling as he twirled an arrow around his fingers. "No second chances if we lose - no 'get back on our feet and recover' phase before we come back stronger than ever. It'll be game over - for us and the rest of the world."

Leo nodded, wringing his hands nervously. "We only have one chance. What's worse, we don't even know when to expect the attack, where it will be, or who will lead the charge...everything is stacked against us."

"Now, I wouldn't quite say that," the professor replied. He turned back to Qrow. "You may have noticed that ever since the incident at Oasis City last year, crime rates have fallen rapidly all across the world - not just in the vicinity of Vacuo. Even Grimm attacks have been at their lowest in many years...it was all too perfect. And to further suspicion, all major incidents since then, whether it be robberies, murders, terrorist attacks, have all been concentrated at one location."

He raised his cane, and a holographic projection formed over the table, depicting the map of Remnant. On a single point in the Eastern continent, a bright light was glowing intensely.

"...Mistral?" Qrow muttered.

"Specifically, the unsettled areas around Lake Matsu," Ozpin confirmed, as the projection zoomed in on that location. "We've had our eyes on there for many years now, courtesy of our own Phoebe Wanejaw." He gave the Faunus a courteous nod. "And recently, the sudden surge in suspicious activity there has become too much for us to ignore. And what's more, I believe we have a name for our enemy - one of them, at least."

Phoebe slowly opened her eyes. "...I can 'see' them," she murmured, her gaze distant, looking at nothing in particular. "Men and women clad in red and black, masks of bone covering their faces. Wandering the valleys, slaughtering and conquering anything in sight. And at their head, one man. The person they call the 'chief'."

Suddenly, an image popped into Qrow's mind. A tall colossus of a man, with dark hair and a long, thick beard, and eyes as red as his own. An endless downpour of snow that seemed to follow the man everywhere, and yet never fazed him for a moment. Every cell in the man's body radiated power, as if were not human but a god of war given form.

It was a face he knew well, but had not seen for a very long time. The face of someone he had thought to be dead until half a year ago.

"Thoron Branwen," he blurted. "My old man."

Crowley chuckled. "Oh, so you _do_ know him after all? I can see why Oz picked you now."

"...That does seem to be the case." Ozpin nodded gravely. "The current head of the Branwen tribe, and a warrior feared by many as one of the most dangerous men in Remnant. Though presumed dead for years, recently he seems to have resurfaced - and evidence suggests he has pledged allegiance to the Dark Queen, Salem."

"...Mercifully, they are still short on actual numbers - they have little more than a few dozen to their name. But they will grow, and quickly." Phoebe's eyes were closed once more, breathing heavily as if concentrating. "Currently, they've made camp at a nearby clearing, but I'm afraid I can't see much more from here."

 _Can't see...from here?_ Qrow wondered what she meant.

"The point, Qrow, is that right now we need your help," Ozpin explained. "First and foremost, we need someone to fill Samson's seat - but more importantly, as the chief's son you would make the perfect infiltrator. You can meet with him directly, and extract valuable intel from him, giving us an advantage in the battle ahead."

The professor frowned, and laid his cane down on the table before continuing. "Or, if you choose, this might not have to end in bloodshed at all - you may even be able to negotiate peacefully with the tribesmen. The choice would be years...but regardless, it should be clear why you are the perfect candidate."

 _...Would it really be that simple?_ "Not just me. There's Raven, too," Qrow pointed out. "We might be twins, but she was closer to Dad than I ever was. If anyone can talk him down, it's her - not me."

"Your sister is...an interesting case. A peculiar one, you might even say. Her loyalties..." Ozpin sighed mid-sentence, and for a moment it seemed like he was at a loss for words. However, he simply shook his head and continued. "...As she is currently 'on break', as it were, I found it would be inappropriate to put her in such a dangerous position. But make no mistake, Qrow - I believe the two of you would be equally capable."

Qrow didn't believe the professor for a second. ' _On break', my ass. I could smell that bullshit from a mile away._ His intent was all too clear to him - Professor Ozpin did not trust Raven Branwen.

"We're...sorry if all this is a little abrupt for you, Qrow," Leo muttered as if trying to console him. "But like Ozpin said, something big is coming, and we don't have much time left. We need your help - all of us."

Crowley let out a short, humorless laugh. "So what's it gonna be, pal? Of course, you already know this isn't a choice, right?"

"...I guess not," Qrow sighed. Somehow, he wasn't surprised. "Alright. I'll help out however I can."

"Excellent." The professor smiled. "Firstly, I'd like to ask you this: from your experience, how would you recommend we confront Thoron Branwen and his tribe? Please, any information would help - no matter how small."

"You can't beat him," he blurted out immediately. Even with the little memory he had of his father, this was something he knew for certain - as though it were an instinct. "I don't know who or how many people you've got in this 'order' of yours, but even if you had an entire branch of Huntsmen under your wing you wouldn't even stand a chance."

Leo scowled, stroking his beard nervously. "Come now, you must be exaggerating. At the end of the day, he's only one man. I understand that he's your father, but-"

"I'm serious," Qrow insisted. "Dad isn't just dangerous because he's an insanely powerful fighter - which he is, by the way. As far as Semblances go, he might as well have won the lottery. He's got a kind of short-term future sight...the kind that lets him predict what anyone will do within the next few seconds. It makes it almost impossible to catch him off guard in a fight. He'll literally be one step ahead, all the time.

"And on top of that, he uses a giant hammer with blackstorm Dust embedded in it," he continued, feeling fear rising in his body even as he recounted his memory. "He wouldn't even touch you - he'd just need to slam the thing down really hard and 100,000 volts would fly through your body. As far as I know, he's never lost a fight in his life."

As he stopped to take a deep breath, the whole room fell silent. Everyone snuck brief glances at one another, as if they all wanted to say something but couldn't bring themselves to break the silence. Finally, Ozpin shattered the tension by simply saying, "Thank you for your input, Qrow."

"Well then, now that everyone here has been properly updated on the situation," the professor continued, seemingly unfazed by his former student's exposition, "we must take action. I must remind you all once more, if we fail now, our enemies will unleash a war so terrible it will make the Great War seem like a mere skirmish in comparison."

"Hmph. No pressure," Crowley Cloake grumbled.

"Qrow and I will head to Mistral at once in order to scout the current situation. While we're there, I will continue his training as a Huntsman of our order. I do hope you're ready," Ozpin remarked as an aside to Qrow. "This will be far beyond anything you previously learned at Beacon."

"...Go as hard as you want," Qrow muttered. _Yet another thing he didn't bother telling me beforehand._ "I can take it."

"Phoebe, I want you to return to the White Fang and continue acting as our spy. There's no proof that the rumours surrounding their increasing radicalization are true, but we must stay vigilant nonetheless. As for you, Crowley, gather up every capable Huntsman you know and tell them...well, .as much as is necessary for them to aid us. When - not if - our enemy makes their move, I will be sure to inform you both as soon as possible - and I expect you will come to me just as swiftly."

Phoebe nodded. "Understood." "Just leave it all to me, boss," Crowley replied with a resigned smile, as he twirled his hat around his finger.

"And you, Leonardo, will remain here." Ozpin's tone shifted to a more serious tone as he turned to his last apprentice. "Now that Salem's agents have made an attempt on your life, your safety outside the tower is no longer guaranteed. Carnelia will find someone to take over your duties as a professor until further notice."

"...Yes. Yes, that's quite all right." Leo hung his head, averting his eyes from everyone.

"Then we can consider this meeting adjourned. I was intending to assign Sherwood to investigate the factories in Atlas, but it seems that will have to wait for another time. I will be praying for your success - all of you."

"Save your prayers," replied Phoebe Wanejaw, standing up from her chair. "The elder taught me that prayer without effort is worthless." She looked over everyone in the room, her expression unchanging. "So...may our efforts not be in vain." Without saying another word, she left the room.

Crowley placed his hat back on his head, and got to his feet. "See you around, partner," he said to Qrow with a nod. "Don't worry - as long as I'm on the case, you can just leave everything to me."

"Oh, and another thing." As he passed by Qrow, he turned to him with a sly smile visible under his hat. "I heard one of your friends is a capable archer herself. If fate ever gives us a chance to meet, I wouldn't mind a little duel with her...or even, you know, sitting down for a nice cup of tea, eh? Don't worry - I'll go easy on her." With that, Crowley walked past him, waving his hand in farewell.

 _...Well, they're interesting,_ Qrow thought as he watched the two Huntsmen exit the meeting chamber. Phoebe seemed aloof, in an almost supernatural way, but also contemplative and wise. There was an aura of mystery around her that he found vaguely interesting. _Huh...now that I think about it, she and Sis might get along if they ever met._

As for Crowley...somehow, Qrow got a negative vibe from him. His cocksure attitude reminded him, in a bad way, of...Tai? _No, that's not it._ Something else, something he couldn't quite place at the moment. Yet just the thought of the archer's confident grin was enough to make Qrow's stomach churn.

"Let's be off, Qrow." Ozpin's ever-calm voice snapped him out of his ponderings. "Leonardo...take care of yourself, won't you?" He nodded at Leo, who remained motionless at his seat, before he and Qrow made their way out of the chamber.

As they walked down the hall, there was a minute of total silence, broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the marble floor. Finally, Ozpin spoke. "I'm...terribly sorry for placing so much stress on you on such short notice," he said. "Though I won't ask that you forgive me, I do hope I can justify myself. And of course, I hope you will give it your all."

"Yeah," Qrow muttered, feeling a tinge of annoyance nonetheless. "But let's address the elephant in the room. What about Summer?"

"..." Though for only a moment, he saw a pained expression form on the professor's face. "Your partner is different," he replied slowly. "I assume, of course, that she has told you about her unusual power." Seeing Qrow's nod, he continued. "As the last Chevalier - bearer of the silver demise - her role is not the same as yours. But when her time comes, I hope that you, and the rest of your team, can be there to guide the girl to her destiny."

"...Alright. If it helps Summer, I'll do what I can...wait." Qrow scowled. "What do you mean by 'her destiny'?"

"Ah! There you are, Ozpin. It's quite good to see you." An unfamiliar voice interrupted them as they reached the staircase. A thin, well-shaven man with dark hair was standing near the door, as if waiting for them. He was holding a metal cane, and looking at him, Qrow would put his age at around forty or fifty. "Oh, and you must be Qrow Branwen."

"Yeah, that's me," Qrow frowned. "But how'd you know-"

"The meeting's already over, isn't it? Well, I'm sorry young Crowley gave you a hard time, boy. And Leo, bless his heart, he must not be taking things very well - considering what happened. I wish you luck in your negotiations. Thoron Branwen seems like a foe not to be taken lightly." The man was speaking so fast Qrow could hardly make out his words.

Ozpin sighed. "You are as perceptive as ever, Sherwood... but you were still absent - yet again. I presume you know-"

"That you want me to return to Atlas and watch out for suspicious activity, yes, I am aware," the man named Sherwood replied, before Ozpin could finish his sentence. "In light of recent events, we must ensure the factories are not compromised. Very well, I am up for the task."

"...Well then, if you're already caught up, I see no reason for you to still be here, Sherwood," Ozpin said wearily.

"Books, my dear Ozpin. Books," Sherwood chuckled. "Even after these years, the library here still manages to hold surprises for me. I doubt _he_ would forgive me if I were to pass up an opportunity to gain such precious knowledge." He tapped his forehead with a smile. "Have no fear - I will set out for Atlas as soon as my curiosity has been satisfied. Well then, I hope to see you again." With a curt nod, he turned and began walking down the hallway.

"Another acquaintance of mine," Ozpin said before Qrow could ask the question. "Sherwood Bell - a long-standing member of the Emerald Order. Not a traditional Huntsman by any means, but always reliable. Now then, Qrow…"

With that, the two began their journey back down the seemingly-endless staircase. Just as Qrow began to feel like his legs would melt into jelly, they reached the bottom and exited the Emerald Tower. Standing in the bright green meadows, Qrow found his eyes drawn to the bright red meteors in the skies above.

 _This place sure is beautiful,_ he thought. And yet, it had come so close to utter annihilation. Could Remnant really be heading towards the same fate?

Ozpin raised his cane, and the two of them walked forward, finding themselves back in their world. Qrow winced as his body adjusted to the sudden rush of desert heat. "Ugh…" he muttered, frowning at his old professor. "Wait a sec. How did all the others get here?"

"All members of the order have their own 'key', of sorts," he replied. "You will have yours, in time. But for now...this is where we part ways." He raised his cane once more, and a pale green aura surrounded his body.

"I will go on ahead, to Haven Academy. You can, of course, make contact with your teammates and inform them that you will be away. Hopefully I will see you again tomorrow, at the school - I promise you will find Carnelia quite hospitable. Until then, Qrow."

"H-hey! Wait a minute!" he protested, reaching out to Ozpin, but the professor disappeared in a bright flash of energy, and Qrow was left alone in the desert.

* * *

 **Yes, I'm still alive, and with Volume 5 underway, I've returned with another chapter of Stark.**

 **Just a heads-up, don't expect a new chapter every 1-2 weeks, as school is getting extremely busy. For now, I hope you enjoy this little preview of things to come!**


	52. Where All Roads Lead

**Chapter 3: Where All Roads Lead**

 _Bang._ As the trigger was pulled back, a lone Creep fell forward on the desolate plains below. Black ooze sept from where it had been shot through the head, as its lifeless body faded away.

 _Bang. Bang._ With each shot, another creature of Grimm fell. Moss Creedo glanced down at her handiwork with a grim satisfaction, nodding as she watched the bodies disintegrate. Though she had feared them once, now the Grimm were no different than the wild animals - or Faunus - that were hunted for sport back home.

She was just old enough to remember a time before the Faunus War. Where she lived, it was not an uncommon sight for bandits, soldiers or hunters to wander through the streets, casually murdering Faunus in broad daylight. The most sadistic of them would hang their victims' heads outside their doors as a sort of cruel trophy, alongside stuffed deers and bulls.

When the war had ended, those men had been made to pay. Not that it made much difference for Moss - her Faunus trait was far easier to hide than most. As a result, she had been one of the lucky few who didn't have to live in fear of being hunted in their own homes.

She'd had her own problems, of course. Her compound eye had made her the target of bullying for many years - including from other Faunus, who mocked her for having a rare, 'ugly' trait. And due to a deformity, she'd been born with only one eye possessing the enhanced vision of an insect, resulting in further mockery.

She'd become a Huntress in the hopes of finding the strength to stand up to those who had belittled her. And standing atop the cliff, her rifle in hand, she felt as though she had achieved that power - even if things had not gone quite the way she'd hoped.

Moss found herself thinking of Harriet, that young woman who seemed to be Salem's top emissary. She was a Faunus as well, and if she remembered correctly, the two of them were the same age. And yet, she radiated such strength and confidence...could those have come from her service to her master?

 _Whatever that 'Salem' is doing, it must be good for the Faunus, too - that's why Harriet's helping her._ It was a reassuring thought. And Harriet had always been so nice to her - even sparing her and Storm from punishment after their recent failure.

Behind her, her partner Storm was busying polishing his arm gauntlets, while Psycha and Locke stood next to Bubble, Psycha's mechanical avian. The two seemed to be arguing about something trivial. It was a sight that had become very familiar to Moss, and she found some small comfort in the fact that no matter where she was, some things never changed. PLSM was still a team.

"Well hello," came a shrill, young voice from nearby. "You all seem like you're making the most of your free time." Moss turned to see the Cion twins - Caroline and Corrine - walking toward them, smug grins etched on their faces. She felt a sinking sensation in her chest.

"Shut the hell up," Psycha growled, not looking in their direction.

"Ooooh, scary," the left twin giggled, waving her hands mockingly in the air. "You know, if bad attitude could kill a Huntsman, I bet you could take out all of Ozpin's men by yourself, lady!"

"Aww, don't bully her," the right twin murmured, twirling her fingers sadly, causing small rocks at her feet to levitate in the air. "It's only natural to get mad when you're too weak to do anything."

"Good point," her sister agreed. "Anyway, we're here to give you some good news - it's your lucky day! Harriet is getting ready to head to Mistral. We'll be going with her, but so will some of you!"

Locke frowned, slowly putting his hand on his sheathed blade. "...Mistral? What about it? Y-you guys aren't planning on attacking Haven Academy, are you?"

"Not your business - or ours, really," the right twin replied.

"Boss' orders," added the other twin.

"Heh, whatever it is, if it's half as fun as beating the shit out of all the Grimm here, I'm in." Cackling, Storm rammed his gauntlets together, sending sparks of electricity flying in all directions. "Just point me at someone, and I'll show 'em a world of pain!"

The left twin sighed, and rolled her eyes. "...Is this the best Harriet could find? A bunch of idiots and barbarians?" she muttered.

"Unfortunately, I don't think you'll have that chance, mister," the right twin said sadly. "Miss Maroon asked for two of you - Locke Silverstein and Moss Creedo. Psycha Ozmov and Storm Columbus are to remain at base until further notice."

The manic excitement faded from Storm's eye. "...Bah," he spat, turning away from the twins, all his interest gone.

"Huh?" Locke blinked. "Why us, specifically?"

The left twin scowled. "Do I have to repeat myself? It's not your business!"

The right twin glanced over Locke. "...Maybe their stupidity also makes them deaf," she suggested.

"Probably. Anyway, the point is, just follow orders and you'll be fine. If Harriet wants you to know anything, that's when you'll find out." The girl paused, and for a single moment there was silence.

Then an unpleasant frown formed on her youthful face. "...Well?" she hissed. "Don't just stand there! You don't want Harriet to chew you out for being late, do you?" She turned away. "Come on, sis. If they can't keep up we'll just leave them behind."

"Okay." The right twin happily followed her sister as they began to walk away.

 _They want…me to go with them?_ Moss was surprised, but at the same time felt slightly flattered that Harriet had chosen her to help out. This could very well be a chance to get to know the rabbit Faunus a little better.

Still, she felt bad about leaving Storm behind. It was strange - now that she thought about it, this would be the first time she and her partner would be separated since they first met back at Shade Academy. Moss silently wondered if the oafish, brash Huntsman would be alright without her guidance.

"Now wait just a damn minute!" Psycha's enraged voice broke the silence as the twins stopped in their tracks. "What about me, huh?"

"...What about you?" the left twin grumbled, the disdain palpable in every word that came from her mouth. "Harriet doesn't need you, so you're staying here. Can you not understand even something so simple?"

The right twin frowned, staring at Psycha with mild curiosity. "You're weird," she murmured. "Did your parents never teach you manners?"

Psycha opened her mouth, and Moss braced herself for the stream of profanity that would inevitably pour out of her team leader's mouth. Thankfully, it was broken by the sudden sound of whirring blades, getting closer and closer. Everyone turned to see a small, sleek air carrier descend from the crimson sky, with a single figure aboard.

"Now, now, you two," said Harriet with a weary smile, as the aircraft lowered itself onto the ground. "You can't expect their cooperation if all you do is belittle them. My apologizes for dropping in unexpectedly, but I thought that you girls might appreciate the surprise."

"Ooooh, it's so pretty!" the right twin laughed.

"A mk-II Alberich model, huh?" her sister muttered. "I didn't think we'd get one so soon."

The rabbit Faunus chuckled. "Well, we may no longer have General Fox with us, but we still have our fair share of...benefactors. And that number continues to grow. Acquiring a specimen like this one is child's play." She gestured toward the entrance. "Now then, since I've spared you all the pain of having to walk...why don't we be off?"

The twins nodded in unison, and followed her aboard the carrier without another word. After a brief hesitation, Moss joined them, taking a deep breath as she turned to face her teammates. Locke was staring at Psycha with a look of uncertainty, as if he were asking some silent question. Not getting any response, however, he gave up and ran up to the others with a sigh.

"Be careful, Storm," Moss called out to her partner as the carrier began to lift off. "Please don't destroy more than you have to."

"Heheh," he chuckled, scratching his head awkwardly. "Uh, I'll try! See ya soon, Moss - you'll see just how strong I've gotten when ya get back!"

The metal door closed on them with a loud _thud._ Within the confines of the carrier, the lights had been turned off, and shutters covered every window. Lost in the darkness, Moss only felt the rumbling of the aircraft as it slowly rose into the air, before flying away.

* * *

"...Bah," Storm sighed as the Alberich soared off into the distance. "Why couldn't they have brought me along, huh?" he lamented. "I'm not tough enough?"

Psycha remained silent, staring at the ground while Bubble rested peacefully behind her. The voices of the twins continued to ring in her ears, over and over again like some pestilent virus she couldn't get rid of. "What do they think gives them the right….?" she muttered under her breath.

"Eh? You say somethin', leader?"

"What in the _hell_ gives them the right to talk to me like that?!" she screeched. Her palm suddenly ignited with her Aura as she curled her hand into a fist. Behind her, Bubble screeched in surprise as its mechanical body began to rapidly fluctuate in size. Finally settling on the size of a slightly overgrown eagle, it flew toward its owner and settled itself on her arm.

Psycha scowled, turning her gaze to to where the carrier had vanished into the distance. "You stay here," she told Storm. "Screw what your worthless shit of a partner said - break some things. Hell, break everything. Any distraction that's big enough."

"Hey, hey, don't call Moss a-"

" _Shut. Up,_ " she hissed, "and just do what I say, dumbass. Make sure I can get away and follow after them. After that...whatever. Run and hope you don't get caught or killed, I guess."

Storm looked bewildered. "You're followin' them? But they told us to stay and wait…"

"Exactly. They think we won't be of any use to them….Well, they're probably right about you, but not me. They're going to see that if I'm on their team, nothing can stand in their way." At the snap of her fingers, Bubble rose and flew to a spot in front of her, before growing back to full size. The avian flapped its enormous wings and screeched.

"I'll show them just how useful I am," Psycha murmured. "I'll show _all_ of them."

* * *

Today really wasn't her day.

Summer looked up at the Huntsman mission board, scanning the holographic screen for any noteworthy postings. The guildhouse was unusually empty for the time of year, with only a few other Huntsmen wandering aimlessly around the room. A minute passed as she waited for the system to update, hoping that something new would pop up. No such luck.

Despairing, she re-read the existing board posts: _Security needed for Dust transport to Atlas. Creep infestation in village north of the Emerald Forest._ Mostly small jobs, all of which already had several Huntsmen assigned to them. Most of them were at a higher rank than Summer anyway, so it wasn't like she was needed there.

In other words, she was dead out of work. _Great,_ she sighed.

As if on instinct, she pulled out her Scroll. Flipping to the 'Saved Calls' section, she began to play the message she'd already listened to at least five times.

Qrow's face appeared on the Scroll's surface. " _Hey, Summer,"_ he said, a troubled look on the Huntsman's face as he tried to force a smile. " _Uh, so I don't know when you'll get this, the reception out here is pretty crappy….but I just wanted to let you know that I won't be back for a while. Well, I guess you already knew that might be the case, but…"_

His voice trailed off. His face turned to the side, and he seemed to be looking at something close by. After a moment's pause, he gave a faint nod and turned back to the camera. " _Look, the point is, I'm gonna be in Mistral for...well, however long Oz wants to keep me there. There's a lot of shit going down right now, and trust me, I'd really love to fill you in on it, but...well, you know what he's like…_

 _...Anyway, just wanted to give you a little update. I'm sure you'll be fine on your own but, knowing you, you're probably panicking for no reason, right? Raven and Tai'll hopefully be back by the end of the month, so just hang tight for a bit and then the three of you can hang out! I'll come and join you guys...eventually."_ An awkward pause. " _Uh. A-anyway, see ya later, partner!"_ The message ended with an abrupt cut to black.

Despite everything, Summer smiled. Qrow trying his best to be affectionate was always funny, no matter how awkward he ended up looking in the process. And it was nice how he still called her 'partner' even after Beacon - then again, that word had a slightly different connotation for the two of them now…

Still, a cute recorded message from her boyfriend could only keep her spirits up for so long. Summer had bills to pay, and she couldn't exactly rely on the pension from Beacon anymore.

There had been a worrying decrease in incidents that needed Huntsman attention in the past few months. From from a certain angle that was good, of course, but from Summer's point of view it just meant that she was in danger of getting evicted by the end of the year. _At this rate I won't even be able to eat three meals a day,_ she lamented.

She felt bad immediately. Compared to most people in the world, she may as well be royalty. Outside of Vale, threats of technological terrorism had been brewing ever since James Ironwood's appointment as General of Atlas. Crime rates in Mistral were the highest they'd been in years. And despite increased activity of the White Fang group, Faunus discrimination was as rampant as ever.

That last part made her think of Harriet. Her old friend-turned-enemy had fought for Faunus rights in her own way. Ways that Summer could never empathize with, perhaps, but the fact remained that she'd worked for what she'd believed in with all her strength. And she was indeed strong. Even when the two had fought in Vacuo last year, Summer's power hadn't been enough to best the rabbit Faunus.

 _I'm really not that strong, huh…_ Summer thought dejectedly. Even after all her training, she couldn't defeat her old rival. She was even one of the few Huntresses to go through the full four years at the Academy without unlocking a Semblance. _And_ I'm _supposed to be some hero that's supposed to save the world?_ Now that was a terrifying thought…

"...Summer?" A vaguely familiar voice from nearby caught her attention. "Is that you?"

"Hrm?" Confused, Summer turned toward the source of the voice, and her eyes widened in surprise. For a few seconds, she could hardly believe who was standing in front of her at that moment. "Latte?" She glanced in disbelief at the older Huntsman. "What are you doing here?"

Latte Adel grinned, walking over to his friend with his hand held up in a friendly gesture. "Oh, you know, just checking out the sights here in Vale. Haven't visited this place in years! How's work, huh? How's the team?"

Summer laughed sheepishly. "W-well, not as good as I'd hoped...and as for Team STRQ, everyone's out of the Kingdom except for me right now. To be honest, it's pretty relieving to see a familiar face around here."

"Glad I could be of help, then," Latte replied, exchanging an enthusiastic high-five with her. "That bar Marge works at should be around the corner here, right? Why don't we grab some drinks and get caught up?"

Summer acquiesced, and the two of them made their way to Club Malachite. Marguerite, Latte's old teammate from Atlas Academy, waved to them as they approached. "These are on the house," she chuckled as she passed them their drinks. "You guys probably need it, anyway. Just don't tell the boss, alright? I reeeeeeally don't wanna get fired…"

"Your secret's safe with us," Latte said with a reassuring grin. "She's going pretty well, all things considered," he remarked as Marguerite drunkenly strolled away. "Did I ever tell you about the first time she shot someone in a nightclub? By accident, I mean."

Summer didn't particularly want to know - though it did sound interesting. "Anyway, why _are_ you in Vale, Latte?" she inquired. "Shouldn't you be at home with your family?"

"As a matter of fact, family's exactly why I'm here," he replied. "Part of it, at least. I figured I'd go on a trip around all the Kingdoms, bringing home some specimens of fashion from all the different cultures of Remnant. For Coco, of course – gotta make sure that kid's got as good of a fashion sense as her dear old dad, you know?"

"Th-that's…" Summer laughed, sipping her martini and wincing at the familiar sting of alcohol. _Excessive? A little overboard?_ "…that's some dedication," she said. "Um…I can definitely respect that."

"…Well, that," Latte shrugged, his smile fading away. "And that tin-headed general back in Atlas dumped a giant job on me out of the blue, to investigate some incidents all around Remnant. This little trip just seemed like a good cover-up."

 _Figures._ Summer had had a feeling there would be more to it than just a fashionista's whim. Wistfully, she thought about how much Lien the guild must have paid Latte to go on such a large-scale mission. "Well, um, good luck with that," she replied. "I'd ask, but I don't know if you're allowed to give details."

Latte laughed bitterly. "It's not like I'm 'not allowed', but…." His voice trailed off. "Well, I guess it can't be _too_ important – according to General Ironwood, it probably has nothing to do with Salem, at least."

"…" Summer was quiet. At first, she felt no reaction toward Latte's words. Finally, she reeled back in surprise, almost choking on her drink. 'W-wait," she spluttered. "You know about Salem too?"

"O-oh, sorry!" Latte blinked in surprise, grabbing her shoulder and saving her from clumsily collapsing to the floor. "Right, right…now that I think about it, I guess it's not a surprise you didn't know. But yeah, I've known about Salem and all that for a few years now. I was a Warrior candidate, just like you."

"Warrior…candidate?"

"Huh? You don't know what…well, I guess that's to be expected from Oz." The older Huntsman downed the rest of his beer. "He and his order like to pick out potential 'Warriors' – Huntsmen and Huntresses who get the _really_ dangerous jobs, the ones that actually matter – from among their students. You and I were picked by Oz and Onyx, and apparently that Psycha girl was Thane's pick. I'm surprised even Ozpin wouldn't at least tell you that much, but…from what I knew, you were a bit of a special case. Something about your 'silver eyes'…."

Summer looked down, noticing that her hands were shaking. "I…uh…don't really want to talk about that," she muttered.

"Fair enough," Latte shrugged. "Hmm…" His eyes lit up as if illuminated by some bright flame. "You said you weren't busy, right? Why not join me on my little mission? I could always use an extra pair of hands!"

"Huh? But I don't even know what your mission is…"

Without warning, Latte pulled a small object out of his pocket, slamming it onto the counter with a flourish. "You will in a moment," he grinned. "So, a question first – you know what this is?"

"Uh…" Summer blinked as the stared at what he had placed in front of her – a charred, misshapen lump of metal, that looked like it had once been an emblem of some sort. It looked vaguely familiar to her. "It's like…a rock? No wait, it looks more like some kind of crystal."

"Something like that," Latte replied. "My employers think it's some kind of Dust – but not one that's on any of the records - probably man-made. These little things have been found at the sites of a bunch of strange phenomena across Remnant lately. A power plant malfunction in Atlas, a spontaneous high tide on a Menagerie beach, et cetera…thankfully no one was too hurt, but I guess the Council got paranoid. And there's definitely _some_ sort of connection."

"Like what?" Summer asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Hell if I know," Latte shrugged. "The incidents all seem to caused by some unnatural shift in gravity, so our best guess is that these crystals are some kind of enhanced gravity Dust – which, of course, would make whoever's behind this kind of a big problem."

Sighing, Latte glanced at his Scroll. "Feels like I've been wandering all over the damn continent searching for answers," he grumbled. "And all I seem to get are more questions. By now, there's been at least one phenomena in every major nation in Remnant…well, except for one…"

Suddenly, a thought popped into Summer's head. She spoke without thinking. "Mistral," she blurted out.

"I…" Latte stared at her in shock. "Y-yeah. Mistral's the last place that hasn't been affected yet. I was actually planning to head there tomorrow. How'd you know?"

"I don't really know," Summer admitted. In her mind, however, she replayed Qrow's message for the umpteenth time. According to him, something big was going on in Mistral. Meanwhile, strange phenomena were happening everywhere in Remnant _except_ Mistral. _Could there be a connection…?_

Latte just shrugged. "Lucky guess? Maybe good luck's your Semblance," he said jokingly. "In any case, what do you say? You don't have to, if you've got something important coming up."

"Hmm…" It seemed like a good offer. She was desperate for work, after all, and this seemed like almost too good an opportunity. _The company would be nice, too…_ Still, Raven and Tai would be coming home soon. Maybe waiting to have them back would be a better idea…

 _I'm sure you'll be fine on your own,_ Summer remembered what Qrow had said in his message, in an almost mocking tone. _But knowing you, you're probably panicking for no reason, right?_ Despite herself, she felt a tinge of annoyance at her boyfriend. "Maybe this'll show him," she muttered under her breath, her mind made up.

"Uh, you ok?" Latte asked nervously. "Your face looks kind of scary…"

"I-I'm fine!" Summer forced herself to smile. "I'd like to take you up on that offer, if you don't mind."

Internally, she imagined the flabbergasted look on Qrow's face at seeing her in Mistral. _That'll give him a nice surprise,_ she decided. Now she just had to decide on a snarky one-liner to greet him with…

"Well in that case, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow." Latte grinned as he tossed some Lien onto the countertop. "Be at the airport by six in the morning, alright?" Getting to his feet, he walked out of the bar, waving back at Summer as he left.

Marguerite soon returned. "Didn't I tell him this stuff was free?" she grumbled, even as she hastily pocketed the Lien. The redheaded barmaid let out a drunken burp as she smiled at Summer. "Ughh...well, my ol' leader might be a lost cause, but ah leash he's nice, don't ya think…?" Summer nodded in silent agreement.

"If you want my advice," she continued, "ya might as well not bother with any of 'em. None of this 'save the world, super-secret mission' crap. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your life, y'know? Savor all the good times - 'cause y'know what they say about good times, right?"

"...Yeah," Summer replied. "Good times never last."

* * *

"Is this the place?" Tai asked through gritted teeth.

"We should be getting close, at least," Raven replied, gazing off into the distance. "Just a little further and we'll be there."

Tai hoped his partner was telling the truth, because he was freezing his ass off. A thundering blizzard roared all around them, pellets of thick snow pelting them, seemingly from every direction, like a hail of bullets. Even in a thick, hooded jacket, he had to squint to prevent snow from shooting right into his eyes. _Is it always this bad in Mantle?_ he wondered.

He took a deep breath. "Hahhhh…." Concentrating, he felt the Dust contained within his body begin to ignite, spreading a slow, dull warmth throughout his muscles. This was how he'd kept himself heated - and as far as he was concerned, alive - for most of the trek, but he'd had to do it sparingly. It was never a good idea to risk overheating, otherwise the cold would be the least of his problems.

Meanwhile, Raven simply walked ahead of him, unflinchingly moving at a steady pace. _Makes sense,_ Tai reasoned. _She and Birdy grew up around all this snow, after all. She must be used to it._

Eventually, the snow began to clear. As Tai pulled his hood back, relieved to be breathing air without pellets of ice entering his mouth, he saw that Raven had stopped dead in his tracks. "This is it," she announced.

"Huh?" Tai looked around at the now unobscured scenery. He realized that they'd just passed through an old gate of some kind - a row of tall, metal spikes stood behind him, with a small entrance space that they'd walked through.

And in front...he had to blink to make sure what he was seeing was real. There had certainly once been a village of some sort here...but no longer. Piles of wood, metal and cloth lay in messy heaps as far as the eye could see. Even under the thick blankets of snow, Tai could still see the cakes of black ash below. Whatever life had once flourished in this settlement had clearly been gone for many years.

"This is...Valhalla?" Tai muttered.

Raven nodded. Though she had her back to him, he could tell she had a solemn look on her face. "Though our tribe was nomadic by nature, they had set up camp in this village around the time Qrow and I were born. As for where they are now...even I don't know."

She turned, and to Tai's shock, he saw that the dark Huntress seemed to be holding back tears. It was a state of vulnerability that she'd almost never shown before. "I...For the longest time, I was certain they were gone forever," she murmured quietly. "To find out that they've been alive - that my father would be alive after all this time...I should be happy. But I never imagined things would go quite like this…"

"I-It'll be alright, Rae." Tai attempted to reassure her. "But, why come out all the way out here? You told me all about your uncle and what happened here all those years ago, but I don't really see why'd you drag me here just to show me the place…"

"...I want to check something," Raven replied after a pause. "One thing I've always wondered about was why our tribe remained in this one area for so long. I'd always assumed it was because of the untouched Dust mines in the vicinity, but…" She trailed off, and turned her head as she walked away. "Come. I'll show you."

Feeling apprehensive, but not one to deny a request from Raven, Tai followed after her. As they walked, Tai noticed a structure - or what was left of it - off in the distance, that seemed taller than all the others in the camp. "Is that - _was_ that…?" He couldn't quite find the words.

Raven nodded. "The chief's abode, yes," she replied. "That was where my father lived. It was more than just a fancy tent, however. It…" She stopped in her tracks, and her eyes widened. "Wait...something isn't right." Without waiting for a reply, she began to run toward the chief's tent.

"Huh? What're you-" Without finishing his question, Tai ran after her. As he approached the site, he saw what the problem was. In the centre of the clearing, a jagged pillar of undistilled Dust had emerged from beneath the frozen-cold ground, elevating the tent several feet above the rest of the camp. Tai could tell that it was made of raw crystals due to their fluctuating colour - they had not yet solidified into a specific element. As for the tent itself, it seemed to levitating above the pillar, flipped upside-down, as if in a permanent state of limbo.

"What happened here?" he wondered. "W-was it like this the last time you were here?"

Raven shook her head. "...No,," she said through gritted teeth. "And it seems unlikely that a rupture of this magnitude could be natural. Someone was here before us, and though I can't tell what their motive was…" She clenched her fist. "Uncle Luka. This has to be his doing!"

 _I-Isn't that jumping to conclusions a bit?_ Tai thought, glancing at her worriedly. After all, disturbances in the underground Dust veins weren't unheard of - in fact, major ruptures in their flow had created many major Dust deposits and mines. That didn't explain the upside-down part, though. "Let's investigate a little bit," he suggested. "Maybe we can-"

He was interrupted by a loud growl from close behind him, and he turned around in surprise. An enormous Grimm, towering several heads above a Beowolf or Ursa, had been following them, and was now leaping at Tai with murder in its eyes. _Crap!_ He raised his arms to defend himself, wincing in pain as the beast's claws dug into his Aura, straining to pierce his flesh.

Glaring into the creature's monstrous visage, Tai got a closer look at its muscular, ape-like features, and the rows of sharp fangs that protruded from its salivating maw, hungering not for meat, but for slaughter. _A Yeti Grimm!_ He'd heard of these beasts before, but only in legends and fairy tales.

"Hraaah!" With a grunt, Tai pushed the Yeti away and swung at its head with a soaring uppercut. To his dismay, the beast was barely fazed by his attack, simply spitting out several of his teeth making what could have been a sneer. Snarling, it lunged at Tai head-first with unexpected speed, knocking him backwards.

Raising its massive fist, the Yeti prepared to strike him again, and Tai was still recovering from the previous hit. He weakly raised his arms and closed his eyes, bracing for impact. However, it never came.

"Huh?" Opening his eyes again, he saw that Raven had intercepted the beast. In her hands she held a crimson sword - not Shadow Mobius, her katana that had been shattered during the battle of Vacuo. This new one had a much larger blade, being almost twice the length of its sheath, and an upgraded rotary chamber to store more Dust blades than before. With a battle cry, Raven forced the Yeti back with her weapon.

"Thanks," Tai panted as he got to his feet. To his dismay, Raven's sword hadn't quite been able to pierce through the beast's thick fur. "I thought your new toy was a little sharper than that," he said jokingly.

"A sharp edge isn't all that matters," his partner replied. Flipping a switch on the sword's chamber, the blade began to glow a bright blue, crackling with electricity. As the Yeti charged at the Huntsmen for another attempt, Raven swung her sword to intercept it.

This time, the sheer force of the swing combined with the energy of lightning Dust was enough to penetrate its flesh, cleaving the beast's arm off like a knife cutting through butter. Howling in pain, the Yeti fell over onto its side, its huge body tumbling through the snow.

Tai and Raven ran over to finish it off, but the beast was quick to leap back to its feet, smoke rising from its stump. Using its head and remaining arm, it continued to fend off their combined assault with stubborn tenacity.

Even so, its loss of an arm had created a glaring hole in its defenses, and Raven was quick to exploit it, stabbing the Yeti's exposed right side with several swift motions. The Grimm reeled back, struggling to recover, leaving its chest open for attack.

Channeling a surge of Dust into his left fist, Tai summoned all of his strength as he threw at a punch into the Yeti's body. There was an explosion of energy, and black ooze flew everywhere as its stomach burst open from the impact. Growling, the beast fell backwards, its body disintegrating into the air.

Tai sighed in relief, wiping his brow. "That sword really is insane, huh?" he asked as Raven sheathed the blade. "As if you weren't already the strongest one on our team. Are you going to give it a name?"

"I wouldn't consider that my main priority right now," she replied, giving him a weary smile. "And...my apologies, Tai. That Yeti Grimm must have attracted by my negative outburst back there. It was careless of me."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for, Raven."

That reply did not come from Tai, but someone nearby. Both of them turned in the direction of the voice, and saw a giant man dressed in black, so tall he practically towered over the smaller tents in the camp, walking toward them with an unflinching gait. As he got closer, Tai realized the mysterious man had the same pitch-black hair and red eyes as Raven and Qrow. _Where did he come from?_

Raven immediately tensed, and Tai could practically feel the murderous intent radiating off of her as she swiftly pulled out her katana, pointing it at the man. "...You," she hissed. "What are you doing here, Fenrir?"

"W-wait, Fenrir?" Tai stared in disbelief at the man. He was staring at them with a stoic expression on his face, though he could see some sort of conflict - or a disturbance? - in his eyes. "This the other guy you fought at Vacuo, right?"

Fenrir calmly raised his hands, his expression unchanging. "That occurred a year ago - I hope we can leave those events behind for now. I did come with any intention to fight - that, I can promise you."

"As if your promises mean anything," Tai retorted.

"Perhaps. But your...teammate here - my dearest cousin Raven - seemed perfectly ready to accept that our family was still alive when we first informed her. Perhaps deep down, she always suspected the truth?" A tiny smile appeared on his face. "But I assure you, I had no reason to lie then, and I have no reason now."

"In that case," Raven replied cautiously, her hand still firmly on her sword's handle. "Why _are_ you here, Fenrir? If Luka and Ragna are with you as well, then whether you intend to start a fight may no longer matter."

"Not at all. Those two are far away, following their plans as usual. However, I _did_ come on my my father's behalf. He asked that I take the two of you to the chief of the Branwen tribe in Mistral - Thoron Branwen."

Those were the magic words. Raven finally lowered the blade. "...Father?" she murmured, sounding bewildered. "But why would Luka _want_ us to meet him? Just what is he planning?"

"To change the world," Fenrir said simply. "And whether people will see it as change for good or ill means nothing to him. And that," he added, gesturing to the pillar of Dust. "is but one of his 'experiments' toward that goal. But come with me, and I will tell you more of what I know."

"And how do we know this isn't some trap?" Tai asked angrily. _Who does this guy think he is?_ _Does he seriously believe he can just show up and ask something like that?_

The giant scowled. "I might have allied myself with my father for now, but I have not one ounce of love for him. And _her_ father despises him even more than I do. That is why…" His gaze remained on Raven as he spoke. "...if you still seek to defeat Luka Branwen...why not take this opportunity?"

Tai still wasn't buying it. All of this Branwen nonsense had seemed fishy from the beginning, and now it was just getting more and more complicated. He loved Raven, but he felt like she had become far too invested in all this - too much for her own good. And now, he had a feeling they were nearing a breaking point - a point from which there was no turning back.

 _Forget about it,_ he wanted to tell her. _Forget all of it. Let's just go home, back to Summer and Qrow. We can continue being a team, the way it's always been. That's all I want._

But he was too late. "...Very well." Raven nodded, putting her sword back in its sheath. "I'll trust your words - for now. Show me where my father is, and then...well, I'll simply have to see what fate has in store for us."

"I'm glad to hear that," Fenrir replied. "Our tribe has taken up camp in Mistral, near the Forest of the Devil's Whisper. Now then, the two of us can-"

"And what about Tai?" Raven interrupted him.

"...What of him?" The giant frowned at Taiyang, glancing him over as though he were some hideous insect. "He is not one of us. He is not part of our family. Why should you associate yourself with him and those like him?"

"He _is_ part of my family," Raven insisted. "Because I choose to see him as one. So I ask that he come with us. I believe we _both_ deserve answers."

Fenrir hesitated for a moment, but ultimately sighed in resignation. "Very well." Reluctantly, he turned to Tai with a scowl on his burly face. "At the very least, I will give you the choice as well. Do you wish to become a part of this tale, Huntsman? "

Tai wished for no such thing. He had never wanted much - he sought to fight Grimm, save the innocent, and become not just a Huntsman, but a hero. But more importantly, he wanted friends that he could rely on and hang out with. The other members of Team STRQ had been those friends, and with them he had formed unbreakable bonds. At least, he had thought they were unbreakable.

It was true that he had questions. About 'Salem', the four relics, whatever was up with Summer's silver eyes, and now the whole matter with Qrow and Raven's family. But did he really want them answered? Sometimes, he wished he could just forget about it all, and return to being blissfully ignorant.

But that wasn't an option anymore. And if Raven was going to get involved, he knew he had to be there for her. That was what friends - no, what partners were for.

"Alright," he heard himself say. "Take us to Mistral."


	53. Testing The Waters

**Chapter 4: Testing the Waters**

The flames devoured the earth, their red-hot tongues straining to pierce the skies above.

It had just been a small oversight, but a single careless miner was hall it had taken for a large mound of volatile fire Dust to destabilize, triggering a fatal chain reaction. Now, the entire operation was ablaze,with thick plumes of black smoke rising into the air.

Above ground, hordes of villagers stared in horror at the disaster unfolding below, many of them screaming out in terror for their loved ones. And in the skies, their grief and despair had attracted a horde of aerial Grimm - Griffons and Nevermores, led by the alpha of their pack, a large, armoured bird of prey known as a Thunderuk.

But hope was not yet lost; a Huntsman with flaming-red hair and dual Dust revolvers stood in their midst, frantically helping civilians evacuate while shooting at the descending Grimm. "Go, go, go!" He yelled at them, gesturing towards the nearby buildings. "Get to cover, we'll handle this!" He cursed as a Griffon swooped downward with reckless abandon, and he ducked to avoid it.

A scream caught his attention as he looked up, seeing that a young child had been caught up in the bird's claws. The Huntsman quickly fired an energy beam from his right gun, catching the Griffon's wing mid-air. The beast's captive screamed as he fell from its grip, falling toward the earth below.

Suddenly, a young woman came flying to his rescue, a pair of gray wings carrying her through the air as they retrieved the little boy. The Huntress, a tall, light-haired woman wielding a pale blue spear in her free hand, descended to the ground with the child over her shoulder. Breathing a sigh of relief, the Huntsman ran over to his companion.

"Winona!" he called out to the bird Faunus. "How are things looking down there?"

"Not good," Winona replied as she lowered the boy, who quickly ran into the arms of his sobbing mother. The Huntress swiftly pressed some buttons on her weapon's handle. "The fire shows no sign of dying down, and there are more miners down there. Take care of things on the ground, Flare - I'm going back in." Without another word, she soared into the air and plunged down into the mines below.

"Take care of things," Flare muttered under his breath, shooting another Griffon out of the sky. "Right, that'll be so simple." Glancing at his left revolver, he saw that it was running low on Dust energy.

Glancing up, he saw that a swarm of Griffons and a Nevermore had formed above the mine. Pressing a second trigger on his gun, Flare ejected the Dust crystal and launched it in their direction. The projectile detonated with all its remaining power, obliterating the Grimm in one fell swoop.

The Thunderuk had been circling the area for a while now, but with an ear-shattering screech it finally entered the fray, flying beak-first in Flare's direction. Cursing, he ran as fast as he could to lead it away from the civilians. Scrambling to replace the crystal in his revolver, he attempted to slow the avian's descent with gunfire.

As the giant bird approached the ground, Flare leapt on its back. Putting away one of his revolvers, he grabbed onto the beast's wing while pumping rounds of bullets into its armour, struggling to form a crack. As the Thunderuk returned to the skies, he held on for dear life, glancing sideways as he heard a low, mechanical whir.

He saw the spear soaring toward him, following the set path programmed by its owner. Spinning and curving as it flew, it repeatedly struck at the beast's head, wings and legs, finally causing it to lose its balance. The sudden shift in movement caused Flare to lose his grip, and for a moment he panicked.

Thankfully, Winona came to save him, flying at blinding speed with an unconscious miner over her shoulder. Her spear plunged into the Thunderuk's helmet, finally breaking off a piece of its armour. She grabbed Flare with her free hand as he fell, and carried them back down to the ground.

"Thanks," Flare panted, his heart still racing.

Up above, Winona's spear continued to fly unhindered, impaling Grimm left and right until only the alpha remained. Screeching, the Thunderuk flapped its wings to blow the weapon away. Tapping a bracelet on her arm, Winona called the spear back to her hand.

"How are we gonna take that thing down?" Flare yelled. "I could barely make a dent in it."

"I made a small hole in its armour," Winona replied, lowering the civilian onto the ground. The man made his way to a small area where all the rescued miners had gathered, anxiously comforting their loved ones. "The chink is barely five centimetres wide. From here, it'll take a small miracle to pierce it."

As it turned out, however, that miracle came only seconds later, in the form of an arrow whizzing above her head. As the two Huntsmen turned in surprise, it continued upward and flew straight toward the Thunderuk in the sky.

Before the beast could react, the projectile plunged cleanly into its head. It howled in pain and thrashed around in the air, flapping its massive wings to cause shockwaves that were felt at ground level. Freezing in mid-air with a final cry, the avian Grimm shuddered and fell backwards, its limp body plummeting gracelessly into the flames below.

After a moment, the villagers all cheered. Flare and Winona glanced at each other, and both of them smiled knowingly. "Heh," Flare chuckled. "Only one Huntsman I know who can make a crazy-ass shot like that!"

"I shouldn't be surprised, "Winona replied.

The two of them turned around, where a young man with a black hat and a silver-studded bow in hand stood. "My man!" Flare laughed, running over to his former schoolmate and exchanging an enthusiastic high-five. "You really know how to steal our thunder, eh?"

"Well, I try," Crowley Cloake replied with a large grin. "Anway - Flare! Winona! It's been a while, you two! Hope you haven't gone overboard with the booze, buddy. And Winona, you finally started talking to some people besides us?"

Winona said nothing, and though her face remained emotionless, her wings fidgeted happily at the sight of her old friend.

"You sure did some good work here." Crowley glanced at the wreckage of the mine and winced. "Yikes, that's even worse than at first glance. "Did you get everyone out?"

"All I could find," said Winona solemnly. "Had the mine been at full capacity during the explosion, things would be been much worse. But as for you, Crowley - why are you here? I know you don't show up anywhere without asking for something."

The archer chuckled. "You know me too well. Truth is, I've got an order from the big guy himself. The battle of a lifetime is right on the horizon, and I need help from guys I can trust - which includes you two."

"And what 'battle' is this?" Flare inquired. "I've got a party to go to tonight, man, so this better be something big."

"Mistral's about to be a hotspot - in just a couple months, in fact," Crowley replied. "And with old Ozpin getting desperate, it's up to me and the others to even the odds a bit. And you're both invited."

Winona sighed, glancing at him with a disdainful frown. "That's just like you. Do you think you can just show up without warning after a whole year, and ask us to join you on some life-threatening mission?"

"I certainly do," Crowley grinned. "Alright, guys. Once you're done cleaning this place up, pack your things and come with me - we're going hunting!"

* * *

"...This is your first time visiting our fine institution, I think," said Carnelia Stein, after taking a hearty chug of her wine. "I hope you're making yourself at home here, Qrow."

"Y-yeah," Qrow muttered, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him. Sitting beside him, Professor Ozpin simply smiled at his colleague and sipped his usual cup of coffee. "You always did know how to make your guests feel welcome. Of your many talents, that might just be your best."

Qrow supposed he had to agree. Haven Academy was indeed a hospitable place. Everything from the architecture, to the lush gardens and scenic views, even just the pleasant scent of mahogany one would get from opening its majestic doors and entering within - if he didn't know better, he'd have thought it was some expensive resort hotel rather than a school to train warriors.

That being said.…

"Isn't this a little...overkill?" asked Qrow nervously, glancing around at the grand table that had been laid out in front of them.

The entire affair, stretching out to almost the entire length of the academy's Great Hall, was draped in rich velvet sheets and decorated with scented candles. All along the table were plates of fat, roast pigs, golden cobs of corn, a fully-stuffed cornucopia, and countless other delectable dishes, their scents mixing to create a truly mouth-watering aroma. And in the centre lay a rack of bottles upon bottles of finely aged wine, some of which dated as far back as the Dark Ages.

"I-I'm just saying," he added hastily, seeing Carnelia gaze up at him in surprise. "There's only the three of us." As the headmistress was sitting at the front seat of the table, about ten metres away, Qrow had to raise his voice to ensure she could hear him.

"Nonsense," Carnelia replied, looking genuinely taken aback as she cut open a juicy rare steak with her silver-plated knife. "When I have guests over, I consider it my priority to treat them with the finest of hospitality. Or is my chef's cooking not up to your standards, Qrow Branwen?"

Ozpin sighed. "That's quite enough of your teasing, Carnelia. I assure you, your taste in cuisine is as sublime as it has always been." He popped a small piece of meat into his mouth. "Now then, while we savour this wonderful duck fat and scrumptious tofu brisket, why don't you inform us on the situation in Mistral?"

"Well, there's not much you don't already know, Ozpin. Those damn Branwens - ah, not including you, Qrow - have been increasingly active for months now. Worse, a pair of known Salem associates have been seen negotiating with them." Scowling, the headmistress allowed herself a smoke before continuing. "Clearly, they're planning for something big - and thankfully, bandits are always predictable. Though, even if we know a big battle is coming, the Branwen tribe aren't to be taken lightly."

"Indeed," said Ozpin grimly. "As Qrow has kindly informed us, their chief Thoron is a tremendous force to be reckoned with. No doubt the tribe has been holding back all this time...and now that they're planning to fight for more than simply survival in the wild, we will have quite the battle on our hands. And if that battle will be fought on Mistralian soil...we'll need your help, Carnelia."

"Of course, of course." Carnelia waved nonchalantly at Ozpin as she cleaned off her plate. "First and foremost, we need to ensure that the Relic of Haven remains secure - that's what they'll be after, naturally." She turned towards Qrow. "You're up to speed on that, aren't you?"

Qrow nodded. "I know the basics. At least, Summer and Tai filled me in on most of it."

"Hmph. I suppose that'll have to do. It's good that you're here, Qrow - with Samson dead and Leo compromised, we're in desperate need of more enforcers here in Mistral. Especially with classes now in session…" The headmistress sighed, and waved her arm in the air. A maid immediately came over with a plate of seafood fondue and another bottle of wine.

"We might know what the Branwen tribe is capable of, but we still need to _know_ them. We don't know if they'll risk attacking the academy with so many Huntsmen on guard, or if those savages have enough integrity to wait for summer break. Knowing the timing of their attack could be everything - and that's what we need you for."

"...Yeah. I figured it would be something like that." Qrow felt queasy. He knew that accepting this mission would have been walking into the lion's den - and he wasn't sure how much of that was proverbial. But more than the very real threat of being torn apart by vicious bandits, Qrow was terrified of the idea of seeing his old 'family' again. His few memories of the them weren't exactly shines and rainbows, but the tribe was still a part of his life, and that was something he could never change.

But now, he would have to confront it. And this wasn't the sort of adversary he could simply hack away at with Reaper's Gambit, and running away was out of the question. Was he really up to the task?

"The main camp is located in the ruins of an old village," Carnelia continued. "Wouldn't surprise me if the bandits took it over after pillaging it. In any case, it's not particularly hard to keep tabs on the area, since it's quite close to Ghibli Forest - Phoebe's homeland." She was interrupted by a call on her Scroll. "Ah. Speaking of the devil…"

She placed the device in a small compartment on the table's side. With a low whir, a large oil canvas on the wall depicting an intricately detailed map of Remnant began to shake, eventually splitting into four small paintings of each of the Kingdoms, revealing a massive television screen in the centre.

 _...Yep,_ thought Qrow. _Definitely overkill._

"...Ozpin. And Madame Stein - it is good to see you again." Phoebe Wanejaw's face appeared on the screen, clad in an industrial white outfit marked with a blue symbol, depicting the head of a wolf. "Ah, and Mr. Branwen, as well. I apologize if I have interrupted anything."

"Not at all," replied Ozpin, though his kindly smile had disappeared from his visage. "Though if you're contacting us, should we assume that something has happened over in Menagerie?"

The wolf Faunus hesitated, before shaking her head. "No, there is nothing particularly urgent. However, I do have a message to report. It appears that the White Fang is planning to send some of their missionaries to Mistral as early as next week, in order to negotiate with the staff of Haven Academy. It is likely harmless…"

"...But it's unusual behaviour for them," Carnelia finished. "I find it hard to believe those mutts would get off their asses and take action, unless they were certain they could gain something from it. But I'll deal with them when they come - in the meantime, do you have any updates on the Branwen tribe?"

"There is nothing new to report," Phoebe replied, "However…" Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she paused for a about a minute before reopening them and continuing. "The bandits appear to getting closer to the forest with each day. It seems they are continuing to expand their territory. And…"

She hesitated, turning to Qrow. "I have caught a glance or two of their chief. A behemoth of an individual, more Grimm than man. Hair the colour of midnight, and eyes red as the scarlet moon of legend - the traits of Branwen blood. Qrow, I am sure you already know what you - what _we_ will be up against."

"Yeah, well, I've made my choice - might as well see this through," Qrow muttered. As a thought suddenly occurred to him, he frowned at the wolf Faunus. "Wait a sec, you're in Menagerie. How can you see what's going on halfway across the planet?"

Phoebe smiled, a wistful look coming over her face. "The Ghibli Forest is my domain - the place where I was born and nurtured. It is a part of myself - and as such, that is the form my Semblance has chosen to take. No matter where I am, that territory, and all things in it, are my eyes, my ears, and my weapons. Sadly, its reach ends at the forest's border, though I can still perceive _some_ things if they are close enough.."

 _That's a pretty specific Semblance,_ Qrow thought. Still, at this point he was willing to take whatever he could get.

"As you can imagine, Phoebe has been quite the asset to us since she joined," Ozpin chimed in. "Her homeland is called the 'Forest of the Devil's Whisper' for good reason, after all. And even without her Semblance, her strength as a warrior is unparalleled."

The wolf Faunus bowed. "You humble me, professor. But regardless, I have delivered my message, so I must return to my post. I will continue my duty as a spy until I have further activity to report - be it from the White Fang or the Branwens." She nodded at Qrow. "May all our work bear fruit." With that, the screen shut off.

"...Unparalleled, you say," Carnelia grumbled, now popping a glazed cherry into her mouth. "I suppose so, but she could have been stronger still if she'd had the privilege of attending a Huntsman school. Preferably Haven, but I suppose I'm biased."

Ozpin chuckled. "I'm afraid that path was not the one she was meant to take. Still, it's fortuitous that young Crowley found her when he did, or else we might in a entirely different position today."

That caught Qrow's attention. "Crowley?" he inquired. "You mean Crowley Cloake - that guy with the bow and arrow?"

"Of course." It was not Ozpin who answered him but Carnelia, finishing off her fifth bottle of the meal. Shockingly, her face had not turned the slightest shade of red. "He is one of the finest alumni Haven has produced in my time. Shortly after graduating, he ran into Phoebe during...well, during a mission, and I convinced him to bring her into our order."

"...Oh. To be honest, I didn't think he was _that_ good," Qrow muttered, though in hindsight it made sense. The guy was part of an ancient, top-secret order dedicated to protecting Remnant from the most vile evil ever to befall the world. It would be more surprising if Crowley _weren't_ 'that good'.

Still, he couldn't help but notice the momentary scowl on the headmistress' face as she had uttered the word 'mission'. _What's that all about?_

"Now that was an interesting four years," Carnelia went on, continuing to reminiscence of times long past. "Team CHRN - Crowley Cloake, Winona Highlander, Miriam Risotto, and Flare Nebula. They were a fine team, no question about it. Gave me several migraines and possibly an aneurysm once, but there was no one quite like them."

"But now, more than ever, we need warriors who _are_ like them," Ozpin added. "Now, and in the future. I had hoped that Team STRQ would be those warriors, and so far I have not been disappointed. But the day is coming when they will truly have to prove themselves."

 _No pressure,_ Qrow thought sarcastically. _Just the fate of the entire world at stake here._

"I certainly hope they will," said Carnelia. She got up from her seat and began pacing around the room, hand on her chin. "In the meantime I'll have all the Huntsmen and Huntresses I can trust raise their guard around the academy. It's important to be prepared to anything, at anytime, after all. Once I have that done, Qrow will head to the Branwen camp to perform the negotiation, accompanied by another member of our order - just to be safe."

"We will certainly need to take precautions," Ozpin agreed. "But thank you very much for having us, Carnelia. If you need us, or some new development occurs, I will return as quickly as I can." With an aura of finality, the professor stood up and motioned to Qrow. "Come then, Qrow. While you're in Mistral, you'll need an abode of your own. I will escort you there."

Nodding, Qrow followed him to the Great Hall's doors, wincing at how heavy his stomach was from all the food. "Thanks for all that," he called out before he left. "Oh yeah. Professor Stein, sorry for asking, but - where'd you get that crazy alcohol tolerance from?"

The headmistress frowned. "I exercise," she said simply. "Perhaps you should work out more."

Slightly embarrassed, and realizing he probably shouldn't have asked such a stupid question to one of the most powerful people in the world, Qrow made his way out of the Great Hall.

* * *

As Qrow exited through the grand doors, Ozpin turned his head back, a solemn frown on his face. "This may not work the way we want it to," he said quietly.

"Hmph. Tell me something I don't already know." The headmistress scowled, reaching into her pocket for another cigar. "Though even if negotiations fail, and we have to go to war after all...we still have one last hope. Atlas is just about finished with the 'secret weapon', and your approval will be all we need to use it."

The headmaster of Beacon shook his head slowly. "Foolish as it may be...I still hope it will never come to that." With that, he left the hall without another word.

* * *

Tensions were high from the start.

As the train roared down the railway, churning toward its destination, Tai fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. Outside the window, he saw rows of lush green forests passing in and out of his view, with the main city barely visible in the distance. A cool breeze brushed against his face, and he could smell a faint aroma from the local flora.

Other than the grinding of the train against the tracks, there was no sound to entertain the Huntsman's ears. They had purchased tickets for an early train, in a carriage with no other passengers to disturb them. Though Tai appreciated the relative silence, it also meant the tension in the air was enough to make him choke.

His neck was hurting; he'd been staring out the window for basically the entire trip, not once moving his head. But Tai was willing to endure it. After all, right beside him sat a notorious criminal and murderer, who was a full head above him, and had muscular arms that could probably rip an Ursa Major in half.

"So," Tai said, hoping his voice sounded courteous enough. "You really are Rae and Birdy's cousin, huh?"

"...That is correct." Fenrir did not turn to face him (which was perfectly fine with Tai), but simply gave a curt nod to Raven, who sat to his right. The dark Huntress simply stared forward, arms crossed, not saying a single word. "Luka Branwen is my father by birth, and Ragna is my brother. However, the great tribe those two attempted to desecrate will always be my only family."

"You seem to know my uncle far better than Qrow and I do," said Raven, speaking up for the first time since they'd boarded the train. "About his motivations, about you and Ragna...and why he tried to destroy the tribe. You said Luka seeks to change the world. What does that even mean?"

Fenrir sighed, and for a single moment Tai had the strange sensation that the giant had shrunk a bit - not in size, but in the sense that in one second his presence, his very existence seemed to have vanished into insignificance. "Luka knew - or rather, he learned - an important secret about this world. I do not know how he came across it, or when, but Ragna told me that he was never the same since. And it was around then that he became fully obsessed with decoding the many truths of Remnant.

"Part of that truth I'm fairly sure you know by now. About Ozpin, and his Huntsmen's eternal war against Salem, a being of pure malice. But Luka was able to burrow deeper into this secret side of history, and he discovered something earth-shattering - a secret that could affect all of Remnant, forever."

"...And what secret would that be?" Raven's gaze was fixated on her cousin now.

"That, I do not know," Fenrir admitted. "Luka and Ragna have not enlightened me with the specifics of their knowledge. They do not trust me - and for that, they are wise. My father did let slip one possible clue, in a conversation I happened to overhear. He said to my brother, 'Eden holds the key'."

 _Eden._ Tai frowned at that word, a vague memory being jogged in the back of his head. "That word...it's familiar," he muttered. "Wait, I remember! We heard it from Luka himself, during that trip to the ruins! It's like, the name of some ancient kingdom, right?"

"An ancient civilization said to have been blessed by the Two Brothers themselves," Raven muttered, her head lowered as if deep in thought. "Gaining gifts that the rest of humanity could not even comprehend. They were supposed to be a myth, but Uncle did seem convinced it might have existed."

"So Luka's interested in this 'Eden', huh? Maybe he wants to find it and steal its treasures or something," Tai suggested weakly, though he had no confidence in any of his guesses. And he still didn't trust a word that Fenrir was saying - even if Raven did.

The giant simply shrugged his mountainous shoulders. "Believe whatever you want. I am simply telling you what I know. And while I can tell you no more of this matter, I _do_ know more of one other thing - something very dear to you, Raven." He turned to his cousin. "You want to know why Luka sought to destroy the Branwens? I can tell you."

Raven immediately tensed. That had certainly caught her attention. She said nothing, but gave a curt nod to signify that she was listening.

"Simply put, he despises us," Fenrir continued. "The Branwens embody everything that he considers foul and disgusting in the world. He loathes us, because we maintain the traditions of our people. He resents us, because we possess strength that he was never given. And he hates your father most of all.

He sighed, flashing a weary smile at Raven. "More than anything, Luka must have believed that crushing his brother's tribe - or rather, make it destroy itself - would pain him more than a thousand battle scars. The chief values his tribe - his family - greatly...as do I, of course."

A moment of silence, that felt like an hour to Tai, passed. Before either of them could reply, the train speakers blared to life. _Next stop: Mistral Central Station,_ came the soothing pre-recorded voice over the machine. _This is our final destination, so all remaining passengers will be getting off. Be sure you have all belongings on you before leaving._

"Ah, but it seems the rest can wait," Fenrir murmured. "I am sure your father will be able to tell you more than I ever could. After all these years, no doubt he will gladly answer any questions his long-lost daughter might have for him."

Hearing the giant's words, Tai felt an uncomfortable sensation in his gut. Fenrir's words seemed to hold no malicious intent - at least for the moment - and yet shivers seemed to go down his back every time he spoke. He glanced at Raven, but the dark Huntress' expression was unreadable.

After what seemed like an eternity, the train arrived at the station. _Thank you for travelling with us,_ came the soothing voice. _We hope to see you again soon._ "You too," Tai muttered weakly as the three of them exited the vehicle. Despite everything, there was a slight tinge of happiness in his heart at the thought of visiting the famously beautiful Kingdom of Mistral.

Unfortunately, Fenrir was giving them no chance of taking in the sights and attractions, as the moment they were off the train he had them follow him out of the city, and into the nearby forests.

As they walked, Tai silently channeled some Dust into his arms, just to be safe. Out here, they were alone, just the two of them with a notorious murderer who could probably rip him in half with his bare hands. He was a full-fledged Huntsman now - he had to be ready for battle at all times.

Eventually, Fenrir stopped. "We should be close enough now." He turned to Raven, holding out his hand. "Your blade...may I have it for a moment?" Quietly, the Huntress handed over the crimson katana.

Tai audibly gulped as he saw the giant hold the sword in his hands, as a gleam of sunlight radiated off its edge and momentarily blinded him. His heart raced as Fenrir raised the katana, but thankfully all he did was swing it at the air, generating the swirling red vortex. "This portal should take us right to their front gate," he explained, handing the sword back to his cousin.

"And as for you…" Fenrir turned to Tai with a leering expression. "I know you agreed to this, but one more time, I will give you a chance to leave. I can tell you are someone who has been fairly sheltered their whole life. You are used to things being easy for you. Our family does not take kindly to people like you - and I assure you, this _is_ a family matter."

Fear rushed through Tai's body, but he would not give Fenrir the satisfaction of knowing he was afraid of him. "If it's Raven's business," he retorted. "Then it's my business too. That's all there is to it."

"...Very well." The giant nodded gravely. "Then may the gods help you, Huntsmen." With that, he walked into the portal, and Tai and Raven followed after him.

When they emerged, the three of them were in front of a tall gate, made of crudely-carved wooden stakes and torches. Some had rotting skulls mounted on them just for an extra shade of creepy. A young man clad in black and red was standing watch, and jumped as the new arrivals appeared from the vortex.

"What the hell?" He growled. "Where did you come from? What-" The guard's eyes widened. "Wait a damn minute. You're Fenrir, aren't you?"

"I am," Fenrir replied calmly. "It is very good to see you again, Canary."

"The feeling is NOT mutual!" The guard, Canary, spat at the ground in disgust. "You shouldn't have come back here, Fenrir - the chief cut _all_ ties with you when you failed to bring back the new recruits like you promised! He said to kill you on sight if you ever returned, you know!"

The giant's expression twisted itself into what could have been a smile. "Very well, then. Try."

"...U-uh..." Canary gulped, his bravado falling apart immediately. "W-w-well, um, there's the whole army back there, a-a-and if you try and threaten me again, I-I-I'll…" His yelling had caught the attention of several other tribesmen, who had come over to check out the sudden commotion.

"I never threatened you a first time," Fenrir said, exasperated. "All I want is an audience with the chief. I have something - some _one_ he would like to meet."

Canary scowled, his eyes not meeting the giant's gaze. "Y-yeah, like that's gonna happen. And what exactly do _you_ have to offer him anyway, huh? ...Wait." He shifted his view to where Raven and Tai stood behind Fenrir.. "Who are these two? And that girl...she looks like-"

"What's going on here?" An unfamiliar voice interrupted him. At the sound of it, all the tribesmen immediately tensed up and stepped to the side, leaving a path open for a single man to approach the trio. "Ch-chief!" Canary stammered, saluting as he walked by.

If Fenrir was a giant, then this other person was a veritable colossus - the type only ever seen in myths... or perhaps in nightmares. Every trace of his massive body radiated unmatchable power, and his very presence seemed to give off a suffocating aura, that made Tai realize he was literally shaking in his boots. The man was handsome, but in an otherworldly, almost terrifying way. And though, if one were to muster enough courage to look him in the eyes, his face had several noticeable wrinkles, he could have been decades, centuries, or eons old and it wouldn't have mattered.

And finally...the man had long black hair and crimson-red eyes. The same as Qrow, Raven, and the other Branwens. _This guy is..._ Tai thought nervously. _He's not human…_

"Fenrir," the chief growled. He frowned, though not angrily. "I thought I'd made my statement perfectly clear. You were to never come back, and now not only do you return, but you come with guests? I-" His eyes widened as he saw Raven. "It...this can't be…"

Fenrir smiled, and bowed before the man. "Chief Thoron. I apologize, once again, for my previous failure. Though I know I will never truly make up for it, I make you this offering as a form of repentance. I have returned your child to you."

Hesitantly, Raven stepped forward. "...Father…" she murmured.

"...My dearest little girl - my Rae." Thoron Branwen smiled warmly. "Welcome home."


	54. Hidden Agenda

**Chapter 5: Hidden Agenda**

Summer had seen many incredible things during her time as a Huntress. She'd seen the glimmering steel buildings in the Oasis. She'd wandered through the ruins of ancient villages, gazed upon technological marvels floating in the sky, and witnessed giants emerging from the deserts of Vacuo.

But Mistral...the Kingdom on the eastmost side of Remnant was truly unlike anything she'd ever seen.

"Wh-whoa…" she muttered, pressing her face against the window as she gazed at the scenery below. Lush forests decorated the landscape as far as her eyes could see, and scattered among them were gorgeous cityscapes, where rows of ornate buildings, the likes of which she'd only seen in her imagination as a child, stood tall and proud. And it was all set against the backdrop of a cloudless, perfectly blue sky, as the sun's rays descended onto the land below.

Mistral's main city stood upon a beautiful green mountain, with a large waterfall running down the centre of the grand structure. What she assumed was Haven Academy stood at the very top like a majestic crown. According to legends, the mountain had once been an active volcano, thousands upon thousands of years ago.

Realizing that some of the other passengers on the carrier were giving her odd looks, she immediately pulled away, embarrassed.

Beside her, Latte laughed. "Like the view, huh? Is this your first time seeing it?"

"I've seen postcards, and news reports…" Summer replied. "But nothing really compares to seeing it up close, does it?" No matter what, it seemed like every time she visited a new Kingdom, she'd momentarily revert to being that naive child who was surprised and amazed by every new experience. For just one moment, she was once again a seventeen-year-old from a tiny village, gazing upon the shining shape of Beacon Academy for the first time.

Of course, back then she had huddled in the furthest corner of the airship, nervous and alone, timidly wandering outside at the back of the line while hoping nobody would see her. But as the Carrier landed at Mistral's central airport, about halfway up the mountain, Summer practically bounced on her feet as she made her way out of the vehicle, breathing in the fresh Mistralian air.

"...It smells so nice around here," she murmured, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them and looked off in the distance, she found that the nearby city seemed even more beautiful up close. Some of them looked as though they were temples of holy worship rather than hotels and homes.

"Pretty great, isn't it?" Latte walked up to her. "It's good to cherish your first time visiting someplace new. Especially if it's for work - because eventually you'll be dead sick of visiting it every other week."

Summer frowned. "Really? I don't think I'd ever get tired of seeing that view. And those building designs, too...Mistral isn't called the land of the arts for nothing!"

"You're right about that!" The older Huntsman grinned as he pulled out his Scroll, flipping through some files. "Alright, check out some sights while we walk, but our first stop should be the main guildhouse. We'll see if any of the jobs posted might put us on the track of our culprit."

The guildhouse in question lay at the end of a long walk through the city, but Summer didn't mind at all. Even if her legs got steadily more fatigued as they made their way up the mountain and through Mistral City, she was content taking in the sights and witnessing all of Mistral's unique architecture up close. The Kingdom really did have an identity of its own - she'd been to all four main Kingdoms now, but being in Mistral felt like she'd stepped into a different world entirely.

She found herself wondering if Qrow was in the Kingdom yet, and what exactly Ozpin had put him up to. There was a small part of her hoping they'd walk through the doors of the guildhouse and he'd be right there, but Summer doubted her luck was that great.

When the two Huntsmen reached the tall red pagoda that stood under a massive cliff, it took Summer a moment to register that they'd reached their destination. _Whoa. Even compared to everything else, this place looks incredible!_ The guildhouse's interior was no less impressive, with the first thing to catch her eye being an ivory statue standing in the center of the room. It seemed to depict a man on a horse, but Summer soon realized that the 'man' had unusually long, thin arms, and a grotesque, almost demonic form. Even more disturbingly, he wasn't riding the horse - rather, the two were fused into a single entity. A chill ran down Summer's back as she looked at it.

Latte took notice. "That piece of work's caught your eye, huh? Can't blame you," he muttered, guiding her over to the mission board. "That ugly of a bitch, the legends call it a Nuckelavee. They used to roam Mistral back before humanity colonized it, but some of the first Huntsmen managed to drive them out of the area. Of course it wasn't easy - according to the stories, a single Nuck could raze entire villages, and the ones that lived to maturity could even spit deadly poison from their mouths."

"Poison?" Summer muttered. "From a Grimm? That sounds pretty scary...Was it was one of those kinds that could kill you just from touching it?" The Grimm legends she'd read had introduced her to many similarly terrifying concepts.

"Nope. Way worse. The stuff would course through your body, slowly wearing down your immune system and giving you a slow, painful death over the course of days, weeks - months, if you were unlucky. Plus, the venom would heal wounds in your Aura so you couldn't even be put out of your misery. And there's nothing on the planet that can cure it." Latte turned to the statue of the Nuckelavee and shuddered. "Yeesh. Just talking about it gives me the creeps."

"M-me too." Summer nodded, cringing as she imagined just how agonizing of an end that would be. "And there's only way historians could have known about all that, too…"

The older Huntsman smiled wearily. "Well, it's not that ancient. As recently as the Faunus War, Nuckelavee venom was used as a means of torture and execution - none of it legal, obviously. Oz and his crew have managed to get rid of most of it over the years, but there's probably still a vial or two out there. So...that'll help you stay up at night."

His face brightened. "Oh, almost forgot the reason we're here!" Failing to notice the pale expression on Summer's face, Latte turned to the board. "Let's see, anything interesting…? Suspected King Taijitu sighting around Shion Village...another Lancer infestation on the Matsu Islands…"

As Latte looked through the missions, Summer quietly ruminated on what she'd just learned. It really shouldn't have been a surprise. She'd seen the things that humanity - even Huntsmen - were able to do with technology, nature and other resources. People using dangerous - even evil - things for their own ends was nothing new.

She'd always known that becoming a Huntress meant fighting Grimm. But now she knew that the Grimm weren't her only enemy. The scariest thought, to her, was that they might not be her _worst_ enemy.

Meanwhile, Latte threw his hands up with a dramatic sigh. "Aaaaaaand nothing in particular. Well, I wasn't expecting to find a lead immediately, but still, can't I have some good luck for a change?"

"So now what?" Summer asked. "Do we come back tomorrow?"

"Not much of a choice, is there? Still, it's fine - for now, I can just show you around town. Hopefully, we'll have better luck tomorrow morning."

The two Huntsmen exited the guildhouse. As they did, they heard a strange commotion from somewhere higher up. "What's that?" Summer asked curiously. "Sounds like people are talking…"

"Uh...that's…." Latte squinted as he slowly moved his gaze up the mountain, his eyes settling on the very top. As Summer followed his gaze, she saw an usual amount of people gathered around the entrance to Haven Academy. "The...school?" she murmured, confused. _Weird. Isn't today a day off?_

"I think we should check it out," Latte suggested, and she agreed.

When they reached the academy, wading through the crowd of curious onlookers, they saw that everyone was gathered around a group of people in peculiar uniforms, standing just beyond the school gates. With a start, Summer realized all of them were Faunus.

Some of them had commonly seen traits like cat ears or antlers, but there were others with more peculiar appearances. A gaunt man with a hideous set of insectoid teeth. A petite young woman whose barefoot form exposed her pale ostrich feet. And a tapir Faunus with an abnormally large nose, the sight of which caused Summer to giggle briefly, against her better judgement.

"The White Fang?" Her companion muttered, his voice nervous as his fingers instinctively moved toward his weapon. "What are they doing in Mistral, of all places?"

Similar murmurings came from all around them. "Those guys are freaking me out." "Sh-shouldn't we have some more security with them around?" "Wasn't one of their leaders arrested for terrorism?" So on, and so forth.

"High Leader Belladonna," came a stern, powerful voice from the top of the stairway, shutting everyone up. Standing in front of the academy's main doors, a woman with a regal appearance addressed the Faunus gathered before her. "A...messenger informed me of your arrival. I do hope you've come here with good purpose."

"Carnelia Stein - Haven's headmaster," Latte whispered to Summer. "I hear she's pretty great at her profession...but not the Faunus' biggest fan, if you catch my drift."

Summer nodded. "I...I've seen her once." _Though we never spoke...I was pretending to be asleep, after all._

"It is my honour to speak with you, Madam." The Faunus at the head of the pack rose, along with two figures on either side. He himself was an enormous man, with amber eyes, dark hair and a growing beard. On his left was a woman around Summer's age, with dark skin and a tiger's ears. The man on his right was comparatively lean, but had pale, almost ghastly gray skin that took Summer a moment to register as that of a shark's. He lacked hair of any kind, and his eyes were a deep, rusty red.

"Save your honour," Carnelia grumbled, looking down upon them with disdain. "I promise you, such concepts mean little coming from a clan of zealots."

The tiger woman hissed at her. "You will not speak to Ghira with such vitriol, human!" she yelled. "We the Fang will not-"

"Calm yourself, Sienna," Ghira Belladonna said calmly, raising his hand. Sienna went quiet immediately, averting her eyes.

. Meanwhile, the shark-skinned man moved his gaze slowly around the crowd, glancing over Summer and Latte with spiteful indifference. _He's terrifying,_ Summer thought. And yet, his hideous appearance had almost certainly led to discrimination in his past.

Ghira continued his address. "Regardless of your opinion of us, we have come with but a single request," he explained. "We of the White Fang are grateful for the steps that mankind has taken to unite human and Faunus. That much, I hope is clear. But it is also clear that there is still much more work to be done."

Carnelia Stein seemed unmoved. "In that case, why not try your hand at bothering Atlas? I hear the CEO of their Schnee Dust Company is openly unrepentant about the treatment of their Faunus workers. Not to mention their ban on Faunus in the military."

"Maybe," the shark man growled, his voice hoarse and raspy. "But Mistral is hardly innocent, either. The Faunus slave market continues to run rampant in the underground, yet the Mistral Council has made little progress and no arrests. It's almost as though they don't see helping Faunus as a priority." That last sentence was spoken with a barely-disguised sneer.

"You're right that the Council has its flaws," the headmaster conceded, though her expression remained stoic. "And our culture's emphasis on tradition makes it difficult to renounce our more...unfortunate practices. But I assure you that I have worked tirelessly, along with my fellow Council members, to make changes. I hope you haven't forgotten how we fought tooth and nail for the abolishment of Faunus hunting-"

"Only ten years after every other nation on Remnant!" Sienna retorted. "How many innocent Faunus were killed before you finally got your act together?" In the crowds, several onlookers - most of them Faunus themselves - were now shouting their support of the White Fang. Many others simply flashed them a dirty look before turning away.

Ghira raised his hand once more, quieting the commotion around them. "...Yet it was progress all the same," he said sternly to the tiger Faunus, before turning back to Carnelia with a smile. "Your willingness to aid our kind is not lost on me - or the Fang. And so I would like to put forth my request."

Carnelia narrowed her eyes. "...Alright. I'm listening."

"As you know, for many years there has been a small, uninhabited patch of land on the borders of Mistral City. On behalf of my comrades in the Fang, I humbly request the Council allow us to build a new base of operations there." He gave her a respectful bow as he finished speaking.

The angered whispers resurfaced, more savage and disbelieving than before. Summer glanced around anxiously as some began to point fingers at the gathered Faunus, shouting unintelligible profanities. _This...could get ugly._ That being said, she didn't find the bearded Faunus' request to be unreasonable.

"And why would you need such a thing?" Carnelia's voice was sharper now, more openly condescending. "The White Fang already has their main base installed on Menagerie, where no doubt you've amassed a wealth of supporters. In addition, you've got your secondary branch in Vale. So what could you _ferals_ possibly gain by taking up more of our space?"

At the mention of that ancient, hateful word, the arguments in the crowd seemed to instantly explode into a small-scale war, and it seemed as though they were seconds away from coming to blows.

"You hear that, mutts? Get the hell out of our Kingdom, dammit!"

"You call yourself a headmaster? Treating Faunus like that!"

It was as though Carnelia had enabled all of their long-held prejudices and beliefs in one sentence. Summer turned to Latte. "This is bad," she muttered. "You don't think they're going to fight, do you?"

"There's no point getting involved yet," Latte replied anxiously. "We'd be the ones causing trouble in that case. But the moment violence breaks out, get ready to stop some bloodshed. "

" _ENOUGH!_ " Ghira roared, loudly enough that Summer had to cover her ears in fear. For a third time, the whole crowd went silent at his behest. The Fang's leader soon returned to his calm disposition, but Summer felt that the look he gave the headmaster had more steel in it than before.

"I promise you that I have no ill intentions, Madam," he insisted. "All we want is to continue to spread awareness about Faunus oppression, in the hopes that one day we can truly be equal. And we can start by working together - us and the Council."

"But there's no need to work your pretty little brain into making a decision yet," the shark man continued in a growl. "We aren't going anywhere...in fact, we'll be staying here in Mistral for the time being. Waiting for you to mull things over."

Ghira nodded. "Indeed. I understand this is a difficult choice, one that I've rudely dropped on you without much warning. That being said, it would please me if we were to receive your approval - or your refusal - by the time we depart for Menagerie."

The silence that followed was almost surreal - not even a nervous whisper among the crowd could be heard. Finally, Carnelia Stein simply nodded. "...I will consider your request," she said curtly.

Ghira smiled warmly. "My deepest gratitude, Madam. And thank you for your time - I promise we will waste no more of it today." Bowing deeply once more, he gestured to his fellow Fang members, and they all prepared to depart the academy grounds.

Carnelia, for her part, simply turned and walked into the academy without another word. Though she couldn't see much of her from the back, Summer had a pretty good idea what kind of expression the headmaster had on her face.

The people's interest faded as fast as it had begun. Already they had begun to scatter, moving towards some other purpose or merely wandering aimlessly. Humans and Faunus cast shady looks at each other as they walked past, and there was the occasional murmur that no doubt contained language not suited for public conversation.

Despite the lingering animosity, Latte breathed a sigh of relief. "Crisis averted, thank god. Trust me, I've seen lesser arguments than this escalate into all-out brawls. _Not_ pretty." He glanced up at the sky.. "Ugh, this little detour took longer than I thought. How about we - ack, what now?!"

He'd been interrupted by his Scroll, which he angrily took out of his pocket. His eyes softened as he saw the caller's name. "Oh, it's Isa," he muttered, turning to Summer. "Sorry, partner. We'll head out once I take this call, 'K?" She nodded.

"...Hello, sweetheart?" Latte asked, putting the Scroll to his ear. "Yep, I've got everything safe and secure with me...Huh? My keys? Yeah, they were with me on the plane...h-hold on, give me a sec…"

Latte's marital shenanigans became white noise as Summer's attention drifted over to the White Fang, who now seemed to be discussing the results of their negotiation.

"...That wretched woman." Summer could make out Sienna's infuriated voice as she stamped her foot on the ground. "It was obvious that she'd never give us a second thought. Just like all the other humans!"

"A wild goose chase, indeed," the shark man growled. He curled his pale lips into a sneer. "But our leader insisted we try, and so we followed."

Ghira Belladonna shrugged. "A peaceful negotiation is _always_ worth the attempt, Archibald," he chastised him. "We failed here - but it's not the end of the world. We have tomorrow, and the day after that. Eventually, we will get her approval. And there are other options we can take."

"Another option has already presented itself," Archibald rasped. "The rabbit. We can take her up on that offer."

Summer's ears perked up, and she felt an all-too-familiar feeling rising in her chest. _The rabbit_...of course, it could be any rabbit Faunus in the world, but there was no doubt in her mind about who they were talking about.

Ghira hesitated. "Perhaps we can," he conceded. "Though I still have my reservations. I can't say I fully trust her intentions yet...and her access to such valuable resources is suspect, as well."

"H-how can you say that, high leader?" Sienna protested. "That woman is a Faunus - her and that eyepatched girl, they're both the same as us! If we can't trust our own kind, we've already lost!"

"My thoughts exactly," Archibald hissed, crossing his arms. "This isn't like you, Ghira - or perhaps, it's _too much_ like you? I do hope you're not going soft on us now."

The White Fang leader flashed both of his subordinates with a withering glare. "That's enough, both you," he snarled. "Let us return to our quarters at once. If the rabbit and her offer are genuine, I have a feeling we'll be hearing from her very soon. Come on – I'd like to get there before nightfall." With that, the three of them left the academy grounds, their brigade of Faunus following suit.

Summer stood there in silence, watching them. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Eh-?" Panicking, she turned around, finding herself face-to-face with a surprised Latte.

"Oh! Sorry if I caught you off guard," he said. "Anyway, that's over with. U-uh, turns out I might have to go home sooner than I thought, but for now how 'bout we get to that hotel, right? I promise it's quite the luxurious affair, and-"

Summer shook her head. "I've got a better idea," she replied. "You said you didn't find any leads, right?"

"Hmm? Yeah, unfortunately I didn't."

"Then...let's follow them." She pointed in the direction of the White Fang members. "They've got to have some makeshift base around here. If we scout the place, maybe even listen in on their conversations, we might find what we're looking for."

Latte stared at her in surprise, hesitating for a moment before replying. "Hmmm...I'll admit I'm not exactly fond of the Fang, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions so quickly. I'd hate to make myself look like the racist guy!"

"This isn't about that," Summer insisted.

"Well, you sounded pretty sure of yourself, just now. And to be honest, you've been getting a lot of things right recently, so I'll take your word for it. You got any particular reason for this, though?"

Glancing anxiously at the retreating members of the Fang, Summer thought of Harriet once more. Her false friend had not been wrong - Faunus _were_ treated badly, even in this era of civilization and peace. And in hindsight, whispering plans to the White Fang was exactly the sort of plan she might have. The rabbit Faunus had already worked with a Fang member once before, after all.

And if Harriet was involved...this could be the perfect chance to settle the score with her, for real this time.

"...Just a hunch," Summer said.

* * *

It was the third day of Qrow's training, and the first where Ozpin decided to spar with him directly.

Before this, the professor had simply set up a few duels between Qrow and whichever Huntsmen happened to be off-duty at the time. It was good experience, he supposed, but it hadn't been nearly as hard as he'd feared. They were professional experts, sure, and he could feel the experience behind their swings, but they were hardly unmanageable. With Reaper's Gambit at his side, he'd won each battle with relative ease.

And so, he'd felt pretty good about his chances when the professor himself offered to do battle. Which was also why he'd been completely caught off guard when Ozpin began to absolutely, mercilessly kick his ass.

"Ack!" he muttered as the professor struck him in the neck with his cane, with surprising force considering its thin stature. He retaliated with his blade, but Ozpin's slender frame masked his almost inhuman speed, dodging every strike with perfectly calculated movements. Qrow cursed as he missed, only to be hit yet again by his opponent's counterattack.

"You need to be more alert, Qrow," Ozpin said calmly, suddenly stopping in place. He moved his gaze up to his former student with a serene smile, as though they hadn't been fighting mere moments ago. "A string of consecutive victories can lower your guard; a mistake that's taken the lives of even veteran warriors. It's important that you don't let your strengths get to your head."

 _Did he plan for this?_ Qrow thought, feeling a twinge of annoyance. It was certainly something that Ozpin _would_ do, and he felt furious at himself for falling for it. "Hey, it's not my fault that the Huntsmen here are pushovers," he remarked, though he gripped his sword more tightly.

"Your Semblance gives you a unique advantage," Ozpin said simply, twirling his cane in his hand, while casually pacing around the room to match Qrow's own movements. "But an advantage is never a guarantee for victory. And you _will_ encounter foes that can fight to their fullest without relying on luck."

That, too, made Qrow rather annoyed. It wasn't like he _chose_ to use his Semblance to get an edge in battle – hell, he didn't have any control over that part of it. But he knew what Ozpin would say to that. _If it's out of your hands, then there's no use complaining about it. Those things should never be used as an excuse._ Something like that. Qrow was starting to get the hang of Ozpin's little 'wise old master' routine.

"Got it, got it," he muttered, as if replying to his own imagined Ozpin-ism. He lunged at the professor, waiting for him to raise his cane in defense…and then changed form. Using the aspect of his Semblance that he _could_ control, he flew above Ozpin as a bird, landed behind him and, changing back, swung Reaper's Gambit as hard and as quickly as he could.

 _Clang._ The blade bounced harmlessly off of Ozpin's cane. _You've got to be shitting me!_ Before Qrow could so much as blink, the professor had already turned himself around and assumed a defensive stance. He felt a rush of frustration – just how fast _was_ Ozpin, anyway?

Growling, Qrow leapt back and switched his weapon to cannon form, firing off several quick rounds. To his dismay, Ozpin simply slammed his cane onto the floor, generating a protective bubble around him, blocking his shots.

"That's cheap," he complained. "You want to talk about having an advantage? With a trinket like that, you might even be as quick as my old man."

"There is no such thing as 'cheap' on the battlefield," Ozpin countered. After a moment, a suspiciously friendly smile formed on his lips. "But if you insist, we can change our duel to a hand-on-hand one. No weapons, and no Semblances – to the best of our abilities. Skill alone will determine the victor."

"Fine by me," Qrow agreed, placing Reaper's Gambit on the weapons' rack nearby. Ozpin did the same with his cane. Returning to the center of the training field, both Huntsmen readied their battle stances. _Okay,_ Qrow thought nervously. _He might be fast, but without my heavy blade I_ might _be able to match his speed. Only one way to find out, I guess._

Ozpin was waiting patiently for him. Qrow had noticed that the headmaster consistently preferred waiting for his opponent to strike first, getting a hang of their movements before countering. A good strategy for exploiting the enemy's mistakes, but sometimes making the first move meant all the difference.

Qrow decided to try his luck. He lunged at Ozpin, only to sidestep right at the last moment to attempt a feint. He managed to strike the professor in the shoulder with a karate chop, but to his dismay, Ozpin seemed barely fazed. He calmly turned towards him, and all Qrow could think was, _Ah crap._

Sure enough, Ozpin's retaliation came swiftly and brutally, with a flurry of punches that soon backed Qrow up against the wall. Helpless, he raised his arms to defend himself against the barrage, but it could only help him so much. Before long, a precise hammer fist came down upon his head, knocking him to the ground. "Ugh!" he grunted.

When he pulled himself back up, Ozpin was dusting himself off, glancing at him with a mixture of doubt and sympathy in his eyes. He was still smiling, though, which was usually a reassuring sign. "You performed better than most have on their first time sparring with me," he said, "But as we've just demonstrated, you still have a long way to go, Mr. Branwen."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Qrow groaned, rubbing his still-aching head as he went to retrieve his weapon. After his brief rush of feeling unstoppable – that short-lived timeframe where he'd foolishly believed that he might already be an elite Huntsman – he was now back down to earth, as they say. "Ugh…I'm gonna need a fuckin' drink after this."

Ozpin nodded sympathetically. "Go right ahead. I'd join you, but alcohol isn't particularly my thing. Come back and we'll go a few more rounds – I'd like to make the most of our time before I return to Beacon."

That was true. It would certainly be seen as unusual for the headmaster of Beacon Academy to be visiting a foreign nation, except during the Vytal Festival or times of extreme danger. Qrow thought of poor Professor Goodwitch, no doubt driving herself mad managing the school in her boss' absence. Then again, he had a feeling she secretly enjoyed it.

"Got it," Qrow said. "See you in about an hour, Oz." Still feeling like shit, he hailed a taxi to take him to the Scarlet Adder Bar & Grill, which wasn't actually that far away but was still more effort than he was currently willing to put in.

If, theoretically, he had elected to walk to his destination, he might have bumped into Summer and her travelling companion on their way to investigate a lead of their own, and they would have certainly struck up an interesting conversation. Whether it would have changed what happened next, in the long term, cannot be said.

In any case, what actually happened was that he pulled up to the bar and entered, ordered a small strawberry martini with extra ice and sugar, and promptly collapsed on one of the counter chairs with a grunt.

 _I really do have a long way to go,_ he finally admitted to himself, begrudgingly. He'd gotten his ass cleanly handed to him in Vacuo last year, his sister had been beating him at their sparring matches for pretty much their entire lives, and now here he was, hurting all over and feeling sorry for himself after taking a few punches to the face. It was pathetic, really.

Did Ozpin really expect him to do this? Sure, if he succeeded in negotiating with his father, he wouldn't even have to fight at all. But deep down, Qrow had a feeling Ozpin didn't expect it to work in the first place. No, it was far more likely that this was simply a clever ploy by the headmaster – headmaster _s_ , more likely than not – to buy themselves some time and information for when the inevitable war came.

Which basically meant Qrow was being set up for failure. By his own superiors. That thought didn't exactly reassure him, but thankfully at that moment his drink arrived, and he proceeded to dissolve those concerns in the alcohol.

"Well, hello," came a voice from nearby. "You arrived a little earlier than I'd anticipated, Qrow."

 _Huh?! Who said that?_ Feeling woozy from the drink, Qrow glanced around frantically. That voice hadn't sounded overly familiar, but he was pretty sure he'd heard it somewhere before…

"Over here, my friend." Looking slightly to his right, he saw a man waving to him from a table near the window. After a moment of blankly staring at him in confusion, Qrow's memory was jogged. This was the other guy who he'd met at the Emerald Tower – the one who'd shown up after the meeting was already over. _What's his name…Bell? Right, Sherwood Bell. Why's he here…?_

Uncertainly, Qrow got up and walked over to Sherwood's table, glass in hand. The older man was enjoying a pint of beer and a small plate of chicken pasta. "I see you had a rough day of training," Sherwood Bell remarked. "Do sit down, friend. I think we both have a lot to talk about."

Qrow was about to ask how the hell he knew what he'd been doing all day, but then remembered that Sherwood had an almost uncanny ability to perceive these kinds of things. _No wonder he's part of Oz's inner circle,_ he thought, _If he really is that smart._

Instead, he brought up something else that Ozpin had mentioned during their brief encounter with Sherwood at the Tower. "Weren't you supposed to be going to Atlas?" he asked. "To investigate a factory, or something?"

"Ah. That errand? Child's play, my dear Qrow," Sherwood chuckled. "I was simply supposed to check and search for any signs of enemy infiltration in our headquarters there. I gave the place a quick glance-over, found nothing that surprised me in the slightest, and thus I was promptly reassigned here, to Mistral."

 _I guess that makes sense,_ Qrow thought. The Kingdom of Atlas had been eating out of Salem's pockets for years. Even though the source of its corruption was now dealt with, it was probably better to be safe and check their numbers for any remaining traces of the Dark Queen's influence. "By your headquarters, do you mean Atlas Academy?"

"Oh no. Not that kind of headquarters. The 'factory' is a general term we of the Order like to use, you see. It simply refers to the various scientific establishments that, to certain extents, provide assistance to us when we require it. We have them all across Remnant, but obviously Atlas has them in the greatest numbers. Young General Ironwood recently added Polendina Robotics into our ranks. While Carnelia and Thane have their doubts, I'm certain they'll be to great service to us in the future."

Sherwood spoke in a quick, rambling tone, as if he weren't talking to anyone in particular. It was hard to make out his words most of the time. Qrow felt slightly uncomfortable listening to him – he was starting to feel like he wasn't even part of the conversation.

"In any case," he continued, suddenly beginning to speak at the speed of a normal human again, "the truth is, Qrow, I was actually reassigned to Mistral on _your_ behalf. That is, your little mission from Ozpin."

That took a moment to register. Qrow was chugging down the last of his drink and nearly choked on it. "H-huh?" he spluttered, wiping his now-leaking mouth with his sleeve. "Wait…Oz wanted you to help me with the negotiation?"

"Certainly. I was actually waiting here for you, friend, so we could discuss the job. I was wondering when you would turn up."

"How'd you know I would…" Qrow sighed. "Ugh…you know what? Never mind. Fine. Though just so you know, I've already been filled on the details. Multiple times, in fact."

Sherwood smiled. "Well, that's what you think. I'm sure you feel nervous – I, myself, have never been quite the people person. Still, Ozpin always knows what he's doing…"

His voice trailed off mid-sentence, and his head began to droop downward as he grew silent. Qrow was worried for a moment, as it seemed like Sherwood had suddenly come down with a sickness. A second later, though, the Huntsman immediately rose back up, his eyes closed.

"Phew," Qrow sighed. "You almost scared me for a moment there. Thought you were-"

Sherwood Bell's eyes flew open, and with a shock, Qrow saw that they had turned from their natural brown to a bright shade of green. "Hmmm," he muttered, his voice noticeably deeper than a few seconds prior. "I wouldn't be so sure about _that_." He now spoke with a deep, peculiar accent.

Slowly, it began to dawn on Qrow what had just happened. Finally, he spoke. "So, uh…who are you? 'Cause I don't think we've met before."

The other man didn't respond, as he was currently staring down at Sherwood's plate in disdain. "Honestly," he muttered, shaking his head angrily. "Does he really think we can be sustained one such measly breadcrumbs? What a fool!" He raised his hand as a waitress walked by.

"You there, young lady!" he called out. "I'd like a large roast chicken dish, and a large bowl of Eastern fish stew! Quickly, before I starve myself!" After a moment, the man flashed her a beaming, jovial smile. "Ah, and might I say – that dress looks quite wonderful on you."

The waitress blinked in confusion at first, but soon smiled and ran off towards the kitchen.

"Anyway, where were we?" The man turned back to Qrow, still with that pleasant smile that instantly brought him calm. "Ah, of course. Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Gray Poirpeau, the 'other' that lies within dear Sherwood's body. And of course, I know that you're Qrow Branwen, Ozpin's newest little soldier."

"…Pleased to make your acquaintance," Qrow muttered. _This isn't even close to the weirdest thing I've seen as a Huntsman,_ he thought. Eventually, he was going to lose the ability to feel surprised altogether. He frowned at Gray Poirpeau. "So this is your Semblance, huh?"

"Correct," Poirpeau said. "This is far more than a dissociative personality disorder, as I'm sure you can tell. Indeed, it's no different than having two entirely separate entities occupying the same body. Dear old Ozpin took particular interest in it when we joined."

"Why's that?" Qrow asked curiously.

Gray Poirpeau did not answer his question. "As you can imagine, it comes in great use," he continued. "Sherwood is a master Huntsman and a keen eye matched by few in Remnant, but social understanding often eludes him. Thus, he turns to me whenever talking to others becomes necessary. Unfortunately, he tends to do it without warning, which can give poor folks quite the scare."

 _Tell me about it,_ Qrow thought irritably. He had some choice words for Sherwood Bell when he returned.

"I might not be much of a fighter, but I know a thing or two about people…and just how they tick." Poirpeau tapped his forehead meaningfully. "That's why I'll be accompanying you on your little reconnaissance-cum-negotiation tomorrow."

 _That's nice. He actually seems like a pretty good talker._ Qrow opened his mouth to thank him, but Poirpeau wasn't done. "…though as I'm sure you already know, it's a lost cause. You _have_ figured that out, haven't you?"

Qrow froze, but after a moment he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah," he muttered. "It's not gonna work – and Ozpin knows it."

"Very good! You really are a smart one – it seems there's hope for you yet, Qrow. No, Ozpin's too clever to think those bandits would ever agree to a peaceful solution. That's why he's sending you, their leader's son, to collect information, and hopefully lower his guard. And while it's all underway, Crowley and his little posse will be lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike in case something goes wrong." He threw his head back and laughed. "He really is thoroughly prepared, isn't he?"

Qrow was speechless. It was one thing to suspect, and another thing entirely for one of Ozpin's own enforcers to admit it to his face. His mission was doomed from the start.

"Why am I admitting it to your face, you ask?" Poirpeau said. "Because if I might be honest, I do not trust Ozpin. I know people like him – people who manipulate others through their fear. All of us in the Order are afraid of something. Leo fears Salem's forces, plain and simple. Phoebe fears persecution, like all Faunus. Sherwood and I fear encountering a problem neither of us can solve. And Crowley fears losing ano – ah, out of respect I won't be talking about that one. But in any case, Ozpin has granted each of us a way to fight our fears…and put ourselves to use. A good use, perhaps, but still _his_ use."

"…Needless to say, you're afraid too, aren't you?" He eyed Qrow, not maliciously.

Of course he was. Hell, he was terrified. He was separated from all of his friends, he was now a pawn in someone else's grand chess game, and now he was being sent on a mission that was never meant to succeed. How could he _not_ be afraid?

The food arrived at their table. Even though lunchtime had already passed, Poirpeau ate ravenously, making sure to lick every speck of food or sauce off his plate. It was almost impressive.

Qrow didn't eat anything. Food wasn't on his mind at all.

He glanced out the window. Tomorrow was the big day. And doomed mission or not, Qrow was going to see his father for the first time in years. His father was a merciless, bloodthirsty man. His father was the enemy. But he was still family.

As if taunting him, he heard Fenrir's words echo in his head. _You_ are _returning to us, are you not?_

Qrow shook his head. "Never," he mumbled out loud. But somewhere, deep within the caverns of his heart, he wondered.


	55. Birds Of The Gwen

**Chapter 6: Birds Of The Gwen**

Tai was certain of one thing: he was not welcome here.

The bandits had not made their hostility explicit - they had stood by calmly, almost amicably, as Thoron Branwen had led the two of them through the main camp, pointing out the clusters of tents, the eatery, and of course the chief's abode.

A couple of the older tribesmen, who apparently knew Raven from childhood, sat down to talk with them during dinner. And they had been given one of the largest tents in the entire camp, whose original owners had graciously moved out into several smaller ones at Thoron's request.

Even so, Tai was a Huntsman. He had been trained to detect malice where it existed - and it was here, in such large amounts he was afraid he'd choke. Every glance they snuck at him, he could sense the anger in their eyes. _Why are you here?_ They seemed to ask. _Everything would be better if you left...or weren't here to begin with._

In the evening, as he and Raven had settled into their tent, Tai had glanced outside, where he saw Fenrir and the chief talking at the camp's gate. Their colossal figures were bathed in the dying sunlight, creating monolithic, ominous shadows on the ground. Tai shuddered at the sight of it.

"I'm sorry - I know you meant well, Fenrir," Thoron said, not unkindly. "But a deal is still a deal - and you failed to uphold your end of the bargain. But as thanks for returning Raven to me, we'll allow you to leave our camp in peace."

"Am I truly not welcome here?" Fenrir did not sound particularly hurt, or even surprised.

"Sadly, no," the chief replied. "I know my brother has his little fangs in you, and I'm afraid I can't risk that - no matter how good your intentions are."

Fenrir Branwen hung his head. "My deepest apologies. If I had only killed Luka when I had the chance - "

"No, you can't blame yourself. He's a crafty one, he is - but not crafty enough. Once this is over and done with, I'll track down my weasel of a brother and kill him - along with his little devil of a kid. Then, I promise you, you'll be free to rejoin us." Chief Thoron smiled at his nephew. "Please look forward to it, Fenrir."

Fenrir bowed. "...Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I give you my gratitude." With that, he turned and walked out, beyond the gate. With a deep sigh, Thoron had departed in the opposite direction, toward his own tent.

Raven was staring at her father, a longing look on her face. "You okay?" Tai asked her, and immediately felt stupid. _What kind of a question is that? Of course she's happy!_ After years of believing her beloved father was dead, here he was, right in front of her. And the chief had treated her with all the kindness one could expect from a parent. It was easy to forget that Thoron was also a powerful bandit and warlord.

It took a moment for Raven's reply to come. "...Yes, I'm alright," she murmured, and Tai found himself doing a double take. A few seconds of awkward silence followed as he contemplated just how _warm_ Raven had sounded as she'd spoken. Even during all their time as part of Team STRQ, there had always been just a tinge of coldness in everything the dark Huntress had said, whether she meant it or not. But now...it was simply gone, as if it had never been there.

"I'm sorry - I'm sure it's very awkward for you." She smiled at him - again, with that same warmth Tai had never quite seen before. "Back when we first met, I don't think you could have imagined this is how you'd be meeting my family….still, this is nice, isn't it?" Even her normally formal speech had adopted a more conversational tone.

This change in Raven's attitude made Tai happy of course...but it also just felt _wrong._ He couldn't put his finger on it, but he couldn't help but feel a slight discomfort in the pit of his chest - mild, but persistent enough that it kept eating away at him, leaving him more and more worried. _But worried about what?_

That was also a stupid question. Family or not, they were now smack dab in the middle of a bandit camp. Lawless, murderous bandits, who no doubt had had multiple violent clashes with Huntsmen in the past. It wouldn't surprise him if some of them had Huntsman blood on their hands, or had lost loved ones to Huntsmen (in which case, he really couldn't bring himself to feel any sympathy).

Raven, at least, had connections here. But he, Tai, might as well have walked straight into a minefield. One wrong move, and everything would be blown straight to hell.

 _This was a mistake. I know it._ He desperately, more than anything else right now, wanted to leave this place. But how could he, when Raven seemed to be having the time of her life? He didn't want to be separated from her, but he also knew he couldn't persuade her to leave.

Which meant all he could do for now was grin and bear it. Chief Thoron had promised to formally meet with the two of them the next day. _One night. I just have to spend one night hoping no one slits my throat while I sleep._

"What's wrong, Tai?" She seemed to notice the sullen expression on the blonde warrior's face. "You're not feeling unwell, are you?"

"N-no," he replied. "It's just...you're right. This is all a bit scary. Look, I'm really glad that this is all making you so happy - seriously, it makes me happy too! It's just, well…"

"Well, what?"

"Well, they're _bandits!_ " Tai couldn't keep his concerns bottled up any longer. "Criminals! Outlaws! No offense, Rae, but these are the exact type of people we were warned about during our training! Humans committing evil are just as - if not more - dangerous as creatures of Grimm! I know they're your family, but-"

Raven's eyes flashed scarlet, and instinctively Tai felt himself jumping back a was a fire in there, one he only saw when she was truly angry. _She really does have her dad's eyes,_ he realized.

"But _what?_ " She hissed. "Perhaps you don't understand, Tai, but I spent so much of my life wanting to _avenge_ these people! I thought they were gone, and I'd never see them again. But now, I finally have the chance to make up for all those lost years. Not just my father, but all the people I grew up with."

Calming down a bit, she shook her head sadly. "That's what I'll always see them as, Tai - my family. I'm sure that you're right, and they've done terrible things in the past, to Huntsmen, to people who have done nothing wrong, but I can't change how I feel!" Raven hung her head, in a rare moment of vulnerability.

Tai stared at her, still shocked at her sudden outburst. Any animosity or distrust he might have felt was gone in an instant. Now, all he felt was shame for making her feel this way. Was it not his duty as her partner - her significant other - to preserve her happiness?

 _I'm sorry, Raven._ He resolved to set aside his doubts for now. If Raven trusted the bandits and was happy to be around them, then that was good enough for him. Tai put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Well, they're not the only ones here," he said. "You've got me, too. And I'd like to learn a little more about your family, if they'll allow it."

She looked up at him in surprise. After a moment, she smiled - a genuine smile, one that didn't leave a silent pit of discomfort in his stomach. "...Yes," she finally replied. "I really think they will. Thank you, Tai." She accepted his gesture of affection.

Night fell without event. Tai held Raven as closely as he could, all his concerns forgotten - at least for the moment.

* * *

When the morning came, Tai awoke to find the searing rays of sunlight blazing into his eyes. "Augh!" he yelled, momentarily blinded as he stumbled around on the sheets. His first thought was amazement that he could have stayed asleep so long when everything was so bright. His second thought was wondering, very briefly, just where the hell he was. _This doesn't feel like home…_

He winced at how foreign and uncomfortable the surface felt beneath his rear, and remembered where he was. _Right. Smack dab in the middle of a bandit camp._ In that one moment, all of his fear came rushing back in an unwelcome typhoon of panic. At the very least, he was still alive, so that was already a good start.

Tai looked to his left, and saw that Raven had already left. That made things significantly less good, as he was quite sure the bandits wouldn't have been nearly as nice to him if she hadn't been right next to him the whole time. If he were to leave the tent and search for her, Tai would be wandering, alone and unarmed (not that he needed weapons anyway), through a camp of vicious killers.

But it wasn't like he could just stay here, either. It was his duty, as a boyfriend, to check up on her and be at her side. And he was fairly certain he knew where she might have gone to. _She could have at least woken me up before she left…_ He found that thought a tad worrying, but couldn't quite put his finger on why.

In any case, he quickly dressed himself and got to his feet. Letting out a huge yawn that he prayed wouldn't be overheard, he allowed himself a moment to stretch his arms before pulling open the tent door and stepping directly into the sunlight. "Ugh…" It was much, much brighter when he was actually outside, and he spent a good few moments just blinking rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the light.

"Huntsman." A growling voice came from his left, and Tai turned to see a pair of bandits standing at an uncomfortably close distance to him. Seeing that they were a man and woman, and the female was noticeably pregnant, he assumed they were a married couple (or whatever the hell passed for marriage here).

Tai shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Um. Hi." _Real smooth. Last thing you want is to make these people think you're weak._ He certainly felt rather weak - what hadn't helped was the bandit saying his profession with as much vitriol as a Huntsman might say "Grimm."

"Lady Raven - your...comrade - is currently in the chief's abode," the man said emotionlessly, though his gaze betrayed how he felt. "He has invited you to join them, if you can find your way."

That last sentence was spoken almost like a taunt. Tai wondered if Thoron Branwen had actually phrased it in that manner. In any case, it irritated him enough that he felt his strength returning. "...Thanks," he muttered, and made his way toward the chief's tent. He cast a couple glances backward, just to make sure he wasn't being followed.

By some miracle, he reached his destination without anything horrible happening to him. Two armored men with spears stood at the entrance to the chief's home, and they paused for far longer than Tai was comfortable with before stepping aside, granting him passage.

The inside of the main tent was, if it was even possible, even more garish than the rest of the camp. The whole thing looked like a 'Temple of Evil' that he'd seen in those terrible horror films - the sort of place where the cackling, skeletal villain sacrificed young girls to the devil or something.

Father and daughter sat in the middle of the room, appearing to be in the middle of a conversation. When he entered, both of them turned their gazes to him in surprise. "Tai?" Raven said. "Ah, my apologies for not waking you up...I thought it was too early for you."

"...So you finally decided to join us, Taiyang." Chief Thoron was smiling at him, but Tai saw no friendliness in his gaze. The man looked as imposing and grand - in an almost inhuman way - as he had when Tai had first seen him. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions for us, and I'm sorry you already had to wait so long…"

"N-no," Tai muttered, feeling the need to bow for some reason. "Uhh...I do have some things I'd like to ask, but I'm afraid nothing's really coming to me at the moment…"

Thoron's smile didn't change a bit. "And that's perfectly understandable, given your position. If you want, we can go on a little hunt right now, to clear your head. And it would a great chance for the two of us to bond, man-to-man, mm?"

"Uh…" Tai's glance moved to the crimson, throne-line chair sitting in the back of the tent. Leaning next to it was what he assumed was the chief's weapon - an enormous war hammer with a head as black as obsidian. Just looking at its sheer size, he felt it would take ten men to lift it.

Needless to say, imagining Thoron swinging that...thing, in close proximity to him was making him feel queasy. "No...no thanks," he replied, realizing his voice was barely a whimper. Unfortunately, the chief seemed to notice. His smile widened.

"Well, that's a shame," he said. His voice had become softer, which didn't make it less menacing in the slightest. "At any rate, I'll answer one thing I'm sure you've been wondering with all your being, Taiyang."

Tai looked up in surprise. "Huh?"

"Whatever doubts you have about my daughter's feelings, I hope you can cast them aside once and for all. I might not have known you for long, but I can tell my dear Raven really does love you. That should bring you some comfort, eh?" Thoron beamed at him once again.

"F-Father…" Raven's face was red - a rare sight, indeed.

Tai blinked, and muttered, "Uh...r-right. Thanks, it does." hoping he sounded convincing. He supposed it did comfort him a little, but it really hadn't been on his mind at all. As far as he was concerned, the most important matter was whether these people would gut him the moment they had the chance. And he still didn't have a definitive answer for that.

Thoron laughed - not maliciously, but not good-naturedly, either. "Well, I feel like we've all got a lot of catching up to do. Especially you, pumpkin." He turned to Raven, and raised his eyebrows. "Aw, come on now. This is a happy occasion, there's no need to cry."

Tai followed the chief's gaze. Sure enough, tears were streaming down Raven's face, despite her best efforts to keep them in.

"Anyway, I hope we can get along, Taiyang," Thoron continued, addressing Tai once more. He held out his colossal hand. "Regardless of whether you stay with our tribe or not, I promise that we - the Birds of the Gwen - will treat you with our full courtesy." He smiled - and this smile was slightly different. Tai felt a rush of...familiarity.

"You-" he blurted out.

Thoron frowned, retracting his palm. "Hmm? What about me, kid?"

"Uh...well…" _That was a bad move._ He couldn't really help it though - it had been a sudden, knee-jerk reaction as he'd realized exactly who Thoron had reminded him of in that moment. That smile, which was genuinely friendly while also concealing mischief underneath, and even his body posture...if anything, it was strange that he hadn't thought of it earlier.

Well, it was too late now. "That look on your face just now," he muttered, feeling a rush of dread for some reason. "It reminded me a bit of her uncle - Luka Branwen."

The aftermath was abrupt and utterly terrifying. Thoron Branwen's scarlet eyes opened wide, and for a moment Tai swore that actual flames burst out within his pupils. His face contorted itself into a frown, then a scowl, and finally a caricature of pure, seething fury. Taking a deep breath with such emphasis that it would have been comedic under other circumstances, the chief slowly stood up, his gaze not once moving from Tai.

"...Where'd you hear that name, boy?" he asked softly. His eyes were stretched until Tai could see the redness on the edges, and he held his gaze without blinking once.

Raven came to his rescue. "I told him," she explained, though she flashed Tai a panicked glance. "He didn't mean anything wrong with that, Father, please don't hold it against him... "

The chief ignored her pleas; his eyes never left Tai. "...And did she tell you about all the _grief_ and _despair_ my _dear_ brother has given me?" he said, almost whispering. He occasionally placed emphasis on certain words, like plunging a spear into wounded prey. "I will not have you so much as _think_ of his name, _boy_ \- because I'll know if you do. And when I find out, I'll inflict on you a punishment so _utterly excruciating_ , you'll be _begging_ for the sweet release of-"

Before Thoron could finish his threat, a bandit burst into the chief's tent, panting and out of breath. "Ch-ch-chief," he gasped. Tai recognized him as Canary, the guard that had antagonized them when they'd first arrived. "We've got c-c-company."

"...Company? Of what kind?" The chief frowned, all of his fury seeming to leave him in an instant. His gaze calm once more, he reached for his war hammer. "If it's invaders again, tell them they're in for a world of agony. My patience has been worn thin."

Canary shook his head. "It's not invaders, sir. They say they're not looking for a fight, but they're….they're from…" He gulped. "Two of them. And one of them seems to be, well…" He shot a quick glance at Raven before dropping his gaze to the ground.

"Er...well if they're not hostile, that's a comfort." Thoron sighed, but he grabbed his hammer anyway - lifting the massive object with one hand like it was nothing. "If you're going to keep rambling nonsensically, I'll just go out there and see for myself."

He got up to leave, and at the entrance, he turned back to Raven and Tai. "You can come and see if you want…." Once more, his eyes gleamed menacingly. "And if it becomes a fight, Hunter boy, you'll get a firsthand look at how we operate. Consider it a gift." On that ominous note, he left.

"Let's go," Raven said without hesitation, and Tai agreed. He cast a glance at Canary, who was still shivering like he was pissing his pants. _He's young, too…the poor guy probably couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag._ Wondering what the hell this chump was doing in a tribe of killers, he followed Raven out of the tent.

When he saw who was standing outside, he nearly pissed his pants himself.

* * *

 _About an hour ago…_

The day had come. Qrow wouldn't exactly say he'd been looking forward to it.

Stepping out of the house (which Ozpin had generously rented for him to stay during his time in Mistral), he yawned and stretched out his arms. It was probably better to shake off all his fatigue and stress before the mission - those things would do him no good once he was in the heat of things. Because 'negotiation' or not - things were going to go messy. Of that he had no doubt.

Wiping his still-blurry eyes, he was unsurprised to find Sherwood Bell standing on his porch, cane in hand. He was calmly checking his watch. "Exactly on time," the older Huntsman mused, glancing up at Qrow with approval. "Not bad, friend. Though you look a bit under the weather, if you don't mind me saying."

"It's alright," Qrow grumbled, blinking furiously. "I'll get over it - just give me a minute."

"Scarce resource these days," Sherwood replied. He lowered his head, and when Qrow met his gaze again, he was glancing into the green eyes of Gray Poirpeau. "Actually, I'm afraid you were late by about five milliseconds," he said in a deeper voice. "Now then, dear Qrow - we don't have all day, so let's be off."

 _Man...what's the deal with these two?_ Shaking his head, Qrow followed after Poirpeau, wandering through the streets of Mistral without really taking in a thing. All he could focus on was keeping his pounding heart under control. "Calm down," he muttered to himself. It didn't help much.

He tried taking his concerns off his mind. "So Oz isn't coming after all?" He asked a question that he already knew the answer to.

"Indeed," Poirpeau nodded. "The good professor is returning to Vale today - a good choice, if he doesn't want to drown in paperwork in the future. And though he'd never say it, visiting a little camp of vagabonds is hardly the thing a headmaster would bother himself with."

"...Okay." Qrow nodded awkwardly. He tried to think of other conversational topics, and was dismayed to realize he could come up with nothing. Thus, they spent the rest of the journey in a heavy silence.

A part of him hoped it would take them an eternity to reach the entrance of the bandit camp - it was far from the edge of Mistral City, after all. Alas, it felt as though he had barely blinked when he and his companion found themselves in front of those hideous gates, just slightly ajar as if taunting them to enter its depths.

Qrow gulped. Obviously, the gate looked different than it had when the camp had been located in Mantle, but he felt the rush of familiarity all the same. He'd expected that a couple bandits would be standing guard, but there was no one in sight. He wasn't sure if he should take comfort in that.

"How fortunate," Poirpeau chuckled. "And here I was fearing we might be shot on sight. This is our big moment, Qrow - shall we begin?"

He nodded silently. _Alright. Time to meet my maker._

They stepped through the gates without another word. Though it felt silly, Qrow could feel a certain change in atmosphere as he passed into the campgrounds - as if there were some lingering, _tangible_ sense of evil hovering over the entire area. _It's just me freaking out_ , he told himself, and forced those thoughts out of his mind.

He almost had a heart attack when his companion put his hands to his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs, "My greetings to you, bandits! Come out where we can see you - you have my word that we are _not_ here to fight!" Qrow's head swerved around to face him in disbelief, mouthing _Are you trying to kill us?!_ with his lips, which had suddenly gone bone dry.

Right on cue, several masked men and women came rushing out of their tents, hastily-assembled guns and blades clutched in their hands. "Who the hell are you?" One of them shouted, who was no doubt glaring daggers at them from under his mask. "Tell us now, if you don't want a fucking bullet in your skulls!"

"My goodness," Poirpeau sighed. "They really are as uncivilized as I've heard. Well, that might actually make things easier." To the band of savage killers that stood before them, he flashed a winning smile. "Have no fear. We are simply here to have a small discussion with your chief. Tell him we're here on behalf of Ozpin, and I'm fairly certain he'll see us."

The bandits began to back away slowly, still wary. "If that persuasion proves ineffective," the Huntsman added, giving Qrow a pat on the back, "You can explain that his son has come to make peace with him. Even he can appreciate a touching family reunion, I'm sure."

All of the bandits turned to face Qrow. After a few moments, they slowly lowered their weapons, which did bring him some small comfort. "What the hell…" one of them muttered. "Another one? Seriously?" Even so, one of them ran off toward the chief's tent, while the others remained at their spots, not once taking their gazes off the Huntsmen.

"...What did you mean by 'another one'?" Qrow asked suspiciously. He glanced over them, but because of the masks, he couldn't tell if he knew any of them.

The remaining bandits didn't answer his question. "Well, you _look_ like Chief Thoron's kid, I guess," a female bandit muttered. "But even so, if you're not who you say you are, we'll tear you apart like any rotten Huntsman."

"You're welcome to try," Qrow shot back. "But your chief _is_ my father, and that means I won't go down easily. I'm sure you've seen him fight, so you know it's true." Snappy remarks always seemed to calm him down during stressful times.

In any case, it worked. Silence fell over the clearing, and the only sound was the rustling of several more bandits exiting their tents, intrigued by the sudden commotion. There really were a lot of them. Qrow began to wonder whether they could really take them all at once, if - no, when - things became violent.

"What the hell is going on here?" came a deep, booming voice from some distance away, a voice with far more impact and self-assurance than any of the other bandits combined. Thoron Branwen walked into view with an irritated scowl on his otherwise handsome face. "What's this I hear about _another_ Huntsman strolling into my home? I'll have none of-"

He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening as he saw Qrow standing in front of him. His jaw slowly dropped, in a manner that was almost comical. "...By the gods," the chief murmured in an utterly awestruck voice. "Have my days been granted the blessings of the Two Brothers themselves…? First my people are given the deal of a lifetime, and now my children have returned to me within a day of each other!"

Thoron turned to his son with a winning smile, flashing his rows of perfect white teeth, an uncommon sight for a bandit. "Qrow, my boy. How long has it been, eh? Must be at least ten years by now - you've grown up to be a fine young man!"

"...Yeah. It's been a while," was about all he could think of to say. Qrow forced himself to smile, trying to make sense of how he felt at this strange reunion. He had been ready to be afraid of his father - he _had_ been afraid, just thinking about it. At the same time, he had braced himself for the inevitable rush of familial love he would feel at the sight of the man who'd raised him, whom he'd believed to be gone forever. He'd even expected to feel just a bit sad that Thoron hadn't been around for the most important days of his son's life.

The way Qrow felt didn't make much sense, but it had nothing to do with any of those feelings. Because as a matter of fact, he didn't feel any of them. He just felt….

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

That man standing in front of him? He was Thoron Branwen, leader of the Branwen clan of bandits, known elsewhere as Birds of Gwendolyn. Dangerous, to be sure, but many men were. More importantly, he was his enemy. And enemies had to be eliminated - one way or another.

 _My enemy._ Internally, Qrow winced, and he actually did feel something - a cold shiver down his spine. Had he really become this detached from his old life? Criminals or not, they were his goddamn _family._

No. No they weren't. _Not anymore,_ he thought. It was almost relieving, in a way. _Now, they're just another band of killers. Another barrier on the path to peace...so all I have to do is get over it._ He opened his mouth, still not sure what exactly to say.

He was saved, however, by the sound of another voice. "What the hell's going on here?" They yelled, saying the exact same thing as the chief had. From Thoron's tent, two all-too-familiar figures emerged, staring at the visitors in amazement. "...Wha-"

"Tai?" Qrow yelled, his mind instantly overrun by amazement and total bewilderment. "A-and _Sis_ , too? I thought you were still in Atlas! What the hell are you guys doing _here_ , of all places?

"I...I could ask you the same thing, Brother," Raven replied, blinking furiously. She looked just as amazed as he was.

"Well, we've had no clue where you were for weeks now!" Tai said. "And, uh, who the hell is that?"

He was pointing at Poirpeau who, for the first time, looked genuinely taken aback. "Mmmm...hmmmm…." he murmured under his breath, gingering scratching his moustache. "I, ah, certainly wasn't expecting to greeted with guests like these. I assume the blonde one's your friend, and the other is most certainly that sister Ozpin's told me much about…"

"...Raven." Qrow addressed his twin. Once the shock of their unexpected reunion wore off, he began to calm down. No, more than that. Not only were his previous concerns fading away, the mere sight of his comrades made him feel a slight, growing warmth in his stomach. "I guess we finally found 'em, huh?" Despite his situation, he was almost smiling as he said it.

"That we did," she replied. "Though I didn't expect it would be quite like this."

Qrow shook his head in disbelief. Raven was certainly right on that front. "So, wait, how exactly did you two find this place? How long-"

He felt Gray Poirpeau's hand firmly grasp his shoulder. "I'm sincerely sorry to break up your family reunion, Qrow," he said gravely. "But we have our objective to complete - save those kind words for later."

His voice indicated quite clearly that he didn't think 'those kind words' were ever going to be spoken, regardless of what happened next. Nevertheless, Qrow forced himself to stop, instead trying to bring the conversation back to its intended topic.

"Chief Thoron," he said, trying his best to sound formal (it just didn't suit him at all, and he soon dropped it). "We're sorry for the intrusion, really, we are. We're only here to talk - about something that you've done - recently, in fact."

Thoron Branwen's eyes narrowed, and whatever warmth had been in there a moment ago vanished completely, replaced by the sheer coldness expected from a man of his reputation. "Is that so? And what exactly are you speaking of, son?"

 _Son._ That got him. Just a little bit, but Qrow felt it.

It was Poirpeau who answered the question. "I believe it might be related to that 'deal of a lifetime' you just mentioned," he suggested. "Am I correct in assuming that that 'deal' was when our dear friend Salem made a bargain with you? To retrieve the Relic of Haven?"

"Wh-wh-wh-" Standing next to the chief, Tai spluttered. "Whaaaaaaat?!" He glanced at Thoron anxiously. "H-hold on a sec... _Salem_? That scary lady that Harriet works for? That Argent and Onyx were working for? You've _met_ her?"

"Father…" Raven said, her eyes widening. Her expression was unreadable.

For just a second, a peculiar look formed on Thoron's face. Tai and Raven weren't particularly moved by it, as it was the same one he'd given the blonde warrior only a minute ago - that look of pure, unadulterated rage and hatred, that could make one mistake him as a demon rather than a man. However, the two Huntsmen, and even the chief's own men, all instinctively flinched at the sight.

The look passed in a moment, and Thoron stood with his arms open, a nonchalant grin on his stubbled face. "...You're one of Ozpin's folk, eh? You people sure do your research. Yep, it's all true, old sport. I swear, I thought it was too good to be true at first! I get a bunch of artifacts and practically a whole army - stronger than anything poor Fenrir could have salvaged back in Vacuo - to do with as a I please. And all I gotta do in return is tear down a big building and hand over some shiny old rock? It was my greatest dream come true, I can tell you all that!" He threw his head back and let out a long, hearty laugh.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air. Qrow, Tai and Raven all exchanged worried glances. They spoke nothing, but their gazes said everything. _Well...that part was easy._ Qrow thought glumly. _Time for the hard part. Let's see how long it takes for hell to break loose._

As it turned out, it only look a couple minutes.

"I appreciate your honesty and your transparency, Mr. Branwen," said Poirpeau, seemingly without a hint of sarcasm. "And I can somewhat understand your situation, really, I do. _We_ do." He blinked, and his eyes were Sherwood's once more. "Just look at the state of this place," the younger personality's voice tittered. My goodness! Half those tents will be demolished the next time it rains. Oh, and those soldiers you have with you certainly don't look well-fed, hmm? And if that weren't enough-"

With a deep breath, Poirpeau seized control again. "Pardon my other's imprudence," he told the bandits with a smile. "But his point stands - your tribe is in poor shape. It has been for many years now. And you want to ensure its survival - that's all well and good. But siding with the Dark Queen isn't your only option, Mister Chief Thoron."

"Oh?" Thoron's lips curved maliciously. "And I suppose throwing in my lot with your old wizard and his little parlour tricks would be a better choice?"

"That's right," Qrow replied forcefully, speaking as firmly as he could. "Salem wants your help, but do you think she'll just let you go once you've done what she wants? Once you're no longer useful, you'll be hunted down like prey. But the Emerald Order is willing to grant you asylum."

"What are you talking about, Brother?" Raven asked, sounding perplexed.

Gray Poirpeau sighed. "As much as I despise the idea of you criminals escaping unpunished, it is Ozpin's choice," he said reluctantly. "This is your one chance, Thoron Branwen. Renounce the Dark Queen and her poisonous words. Tell us everything she told you, and all you know about her followers. Then, you and your band of...rogues...can seek refuge in our Tower until this conflict has passed."

A part of Qrow had hoped Thoron would consider it, might even hesitate, even for just a moment. But deep down, he wasn't surprised when, before even a moment had passed, the Branwen chief burst out into hysterical, hearty laughter.

"Oh, no," he chuckled. "No, no, no, _no_. I don't think so, Mr. Ozpin's Right Hand Man. You know, Salem's told me a lot about you folks." He grinned at Qrow, but all the warmth and good humour was gone. "And now you're his buddy, eh? What a shame! We just met for the first time in years, and you've already disappointed me, son!"

 _Yeah, that hurts me so much,_ Qrow thought. This time, all he felt was a tinge of annoyance. At least that was a familiar feeling.

"I-I mean," Tai was muttering. "Me and Rae, we're on pretty good terms with Oz, too, so-"

"Mm-mm-mm. That's enough from you, boy." Thoron made a mocking _shhhh_ motion with his finger, and turned back to his son with an earnest look on his face. "I know how much this hurts you, Qrow. You're happy to finally see me, but you don't want to fight me. Please, son. Forget Ozpin and this old clown. Come back to us, and we can be a family once more. We can catch up on everything...bring back those lost days that Luka so cruelly stole from us."

For the second time that day, Thoron Branwen's assessment could not have been more wrong. Despite the man's intimidating stature, Qrow almost felt sorry for him as he stared into his self-assured face, into those eyes that were a mirror image of his.

 _No._ Not quite, he realized. It was a bizarre thing to notice, but the chief's eyes were a slightly brighter shade of red than his own. However, Qrow had, more recently, seen a pair of eyes that were his perfect match. Two of them, actually. They had belonged to Luka and Ragna Branwen.

"Sorry, Dad," he heard himself say. "But this dumpster fire isn't my home. It never was."

Now, Thoron Branwen's smile disappeared completely. In his left hand he held his colossal hammer, casually twirling it around two of his fingers. "Then," he murmured, a scowl forming on his face. "We don't anything more to say, do we, my friends?" Beside him, his men raised their weapons.

At this moment, an explosion rang out...but not in the clearing. "Hmm?" Thoron looked in the sound's direction, confused. "What in the hell?"

"It appears we have trouble," Poirpeau muttered.

Right on cue, a human figure burst out of the trees - a shape Qrow quickly recognized as Crowley Cloake. He held his bow in his hands, and his normally-cheerful face was wrinkled in a look of utter concentration. Without hesitation, he fired off an arrow.

"Urk!" The chief winced as the projectile pierced his shoulder, but he recovered with alarming speed. As his warriors prepared to charge in retaliation, he raised his hands to calm them down. "Well, well, we've got another guest," he grumbled, nonchalantly pulling the arrow out of his flesh.

Crowley didn't answer, and he didn't lower his bow, either. From the forest, two more Huntsmen emerged - a red-headed, roguish man carrying two crimson revolvers, and a tall young woman wielding a lance. "Guys!" he yelled, preparing another arrow. "Watch out! Behind you!"

"Huh?" Turning around, Qrow raised his blade just in time to block a small projectile - a small marble? - from striking him in the head. The little ball flew backwards and came to rest, floating in the air, near a little girl of no more than ten years, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder next to her identical twin.

"Aw, you ruined the surprise party," Caroline Cion said sadly. "You're no fun, arrow-man."

"Well, it's good that we were watching," Corrine Cion chuckled. In her hands was a jade-coloured glaive, pointed straight at the two Huntsmen. "You need to get your eyes checked, 'chief'."

Thoron shrugged. "Guilty. Perhaps I'm having one of my 'off' days." He grinned at Crowley and his friends, rubbing his bleeding shoulder. "Not bad at all...you're fast, kid. You actually got off a hit before I could activate my Aura. Out of respect, I'll make sure you die quick."

"Ha. That's reassuring," Crowley replied, smiling. His focused, serious look from a moment ago was gone. "And it's a good thing I was fast, or this whole thing would've been ruined."

It was around then that the gravity of the situation dawned on Qrow. On their side, he and Poirpeau were one quick movement away from being gutted by two of Salem's enforcers - he didn't even need to think about who these girls were. And on the other side, Crowley and his comrades were facing down Thoron Branwen and a whole tribe of bloodthirsty - and very angry - bandits. If that weren't bad enough, Tai and Raven were wedged right in the middle of their crowd.

Raven, he was sure, was safe. She'd always been the favourite - he could remember that much. No matter what, Thoron would never hurt a hair on her head. But Tai…

"Okay...I'm still a little lost on what's going on," the blonde warrior muttered, raising his fists. "...But I can tell something's gone south when I see it. You ready, Rae?"

Raven Branwen hesitated. Even so, she drew her scarlet blade and assumed her stance. _But who's her target?_ Qrow thought darkly, before he could stop himself.

He turned to the more experienced Huntsman. "What should we do?" he asked. It was basically a formality at this point.

Poirpeau sighed. "What else?" He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then Sherwood Bell raised his cane. A revolver's barrel jutted out of the weapon's dull end, staring into one of the girls' eyes. He turned to Qrow and smiled, a smile that was amicable, but not without fire.

"We fight, of course."


End file.
